An Israeli airstrike leveled a residential block in the Nuseirat refugee camp on Thursday, leaving a trail of devastation.
At least 33 Palestinians, including women and children, were killed, with 84 others injured or missing, according to Gaza’s Government Media Office on Friday.
The office condemned the strike as a "horrific massacre," highlighting that the densely packed apartments were sheltering displaced civilians who had fled earlier bombings.
Witnesses described the area as a chaotic scene of smoke, rubble and desperate rescue efforts.
Gaza’s collapsing health care system, already under immense strain, faces additional pressure.
Hospitals and medical centers have been systematically targeted, the Government Media Office claimed, accusing Israel of pursuing a deliberate campaign of forced displacement in violation of international law.
Photos from Nuseirat revealed mangled debris and smoke rising from flattened buildings.
Rescue workers continued to search for survivors amid the wreckage, while ambulances transported bodies to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in nearby Deir al-Balah.
The attack was part of a broader wave of Israeli airstrikes across Gaza, which killed at least 54 Palestinians between Wednesday night and Thursday.
In Khan Younis, 15 members of local aid coordination committees – set up to organize the distribution of scarce humanitarian supplies – were killed in two separate strikes.
Another airstrike in Rafah claimed eight more lives.
Israel’s offensive, launched in October 2023 following Hamas' incursion on southern Israel, has drawn global condemnation.
More than 44,800 Palestinians, primarily women and children, have died since the war began.
The blockade of humanitarian aid and relentless bombardments have left Gaza teetering on the brink of famine, with experts warning of catastrophic conditions in the north.
The U.N. General Assembly recently approved a resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire, reflecting widespread international frustration.
However, the resolution is non-binding, and diplomatic efforts remain stalled.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants last month for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
Both face accusations of war crimes and crimes against humanity, including deliberate starvation and mass killings.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), further amplifying calls for accountability.
As the death toll rises, U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan has intensified cease-fire negotiations in the region, holding talks with Israeli and Palestinian officials.
Sullivan noted that recent developments, including a cease-fire in Lebanon, could pave the way for progress in Gaza.
The Biden administration, however, faces criticism for its veto of a U.N. Security Council resolution demanding an immediate truce.
The U.S. argued the resolution failed to address the release of hostages taken by Hamas during its October 2023 incursion, which left 1,200 Israelis dead and hundreds more abducted.
The conflict has left Gaza in ruins, with its population enduring relentless airstrikes, a collapsing health care system, and dwindling supplies of food and water.
In northern Gaza, humanitarian aid remains nearly nonexistent, and reports of famine are growing.
