Sad Easter: 50 dead by Israeli air strikes in Gaza

Sad Easter: 50 dead by Israeli air strikes in Gaza

On April 18, 2025, the Good Friday, the Gaza Strip experienced a tragic day when Israeli air strikes demanded at least 50 Palestinian life, including women and children. These attacks, which focused primarily on Gaza City and the northern part of the Gaza Strip, added further suffering of an already tense humanitarian situation. Significant damage and losses were also registered in Khan Younis and Rafah, while the Israeli military presence in the areas of Shaboura and Tal AS-Sultan reached.

Israel's Minister of Defense, Israel Katz, explained that the goal of the military operations was a decisive defeat of the Hamas and the release of hostages. These attacks occur against a background in which the civilian population suffers under extreme conditions. Catholic Christians in Gaza face great challenges that affect their celebrations on the forthcoming Easter, as Ihab Ayyad and Ramez al-Sury report.

The effects on the civilian population

The humanitarian situation in Gaza has deteriorated dramatically in recent years; Over 2,400 Palestinians have been killed on October 7, 2023 since the beginning of the current military reaction against Hamas. Israel has blocked access to food, water and electricity in the Gaza Strip for months, which has led to a humanitarian disaster. Over 80% of the population is dependent on humanitarian aid, and unemployment is almost 50%, as reports from Human Rights Watch underline.

In addition to the air strikes, the Israeli military operation of violent attacks of Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank is accompanied. In the past few months, violence in this region has intensified, with reports of hundreds of Palestinian dead. This has led to further dismissal of people from their place of residence, which has already affected around 40,000 Palestinians.

international context and diplomatic efforts

While the fights are in the Gaza Strip, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the USA was found to advise President Donald Trump on ongoing conflicts. In the past few weeks, Israel has ended a ceasefire with Hamas and was trying to put pressure on the group to reach a new agreement. Families of hostages and supporters asked Trump to get involved in the end of the fights.

The international community is increasingly faced with the challenges of taking civilian victims of war crimes on both sides. While humanitarian organizations accuse Israel of targeting civilian inhabitants, Hamas accuses of abusing civilians as human protective shields. The situation remains tense and there is great concern about a possible further escalation.

The news from Gaza are characterized by reports on destruction and loss that continue to make hopes of peace and stability in the region difficult. According to the UN assessments, the efforts to relocate so many civilians from such a densely populated area are almost impossible.

The continuing conflict also attracts attention at an international level, whereby the pressure on both sides grows to protect the civilian population and open the way to renewed negotiations. Meanwhile, the situation remains fragile in the affected areas and requires immediate humanitarian support to facilitate the life of the people living there.

For more information you can do the complete reports on AP news and Human Rights Watch Read.