By Harun Nasrullah
London, (The Muslim News): Israeli strikes slaughtered at least 53 Palestinians across the Gaza Strip on Thursday, relentlessly targeting besieged neighbourhoods, hungry crowds gathering for aid, and the tents of displaced families. This latest spate of killings brings the devastating toll of Israel’s war to at least 64,656 dead and 163,503 wounded since October 2023, with uncounted thousands more still buried beneath the rubble.
According to reports from medics and official sources, the Israeli army launched deadly strikes on numerous residential neighbourhoods. In the Zikim area northwest of Gaza, five Palestinians waiting for aid were killed by Israeli fire. Further south, two Palestinians seeking aid were also killed by army fire in northwestern Rafah.
Within Gaza City, the attacks were widespread. Airstrikes on the Al-Rimal neighbourhood killed three people at a civilian gathering, while in the Shati refugee camp, an airstrike on tents housing displaced families killed three Palestinians and injured several others.
Israeli helicopters intensified strikes on the central Yarmouk area, killing a woman and, according to the state news agency Wafa, a toddler. The Israeli army also shelled a civilian gathering in the Shejaiya neighbourhood, killing one woman and injuring others. Warplanes launched a series of strikes along Al-Nafaq Street, coinciding with heavy artillery shelling of the Sheikh Radwan neighbourhood.
In central Gaza, a Palestinian child was killed by Israeli gunfire on houses in the Bureij refugee camp. An airstrike in the Nuseirat refugee camp killed two more Palestinians. In Wadi Gaza, one Palestinian was killed, and 23 others were injured when Israeli forces shelled a crowd waiting for aid on Salah al-Din Street. In Deir al-Balah, Israeli drones struck a house, injuring several Palestinians. The Israeli army also arrested several Palestinian fishermen off the coast of Gaza City and blew up their boats.
Record child malnutrition reaches “deadliest form”
The UN children’s agency (UNICEF) reported on Thursday that child malnutrition in Gaza reached record levels in August. A statement revealed that the percentage of children identified as acutely malnourished rose to 13.5%, up from 8.3% in July. In Gaza City, where famine was confirmed last month, the rate reached 19%.
The situation is exacerbated by the closure of 10 outpatient treatment centres due to Israeli evacuation orders and ongoing attacks, which has cut children off from life-saving care.
UNICEF emphasised a sharp rise in severe acute malnutrition (SAM) — the deadliest form — which affected 23% of children admitted for treatment in August, compared to just 12% six months earlier. UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell stated that “in August 1 in 5 children in Gaza City was diagnosed with acute malnutrition” and warned that the ongoing military escalation is preventing them from receiving critical treatment.
International diplomacy and condemnation
The offensive continues to draw international condemnation. At a UN Security Council meeting Thursday, Qatar’s Prime Minister condemned a recent Israeli strike on Doha, calling it a “violation of the sovereignty of a state” and a “clear threat to target any country that is working to achieve peace.” In a separate statement agreed upon by all 15 members, including the United States, the Security Council condemned the strikes on Doha and expressed “deep regret at the loss of civilian life”, while urging all sides to “seize the opportunity for peace”.
In a related development, Irish broadcaster RTÉ announced that Ireland will not participate in the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest if Israel is allowed to take part, following concerns raised by several European Broadcasting Union members.
Escalation in the West Bank
Meanwhile, Israeli forces conducted raids across the occupied West Bank on Thursday, detaining dozens of Palestinians. In Qubeiba, northwest of Jerusalem, troops detained and later released the mayor. A young man was shot in the leg near a separation barrier, with witnesses reporting that soldiers blocked ambulances from reaching him.
The army also issued demolition orders for five makeshift homes in the village of Khirbet Zanuta and for al-Zuwaidin Secondary School, which serves around 120 students in the Masafer Yatta region. In the northern Jenin district, Israeli bulldozers destroyed vegetable crops and uprooted olive trees on farmland in Burqin. Dozens of illegal settlers, accompanied by Israeli troops, also entered the site of the former Sanur settlement, which was recently approved by the Israeli Cabinet for re-establishment.
According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, at least 1,020 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank since the war in Gaza began. This escalation coincides with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s announcement of an agreement to expand settlements under the so-called E1 plan, which aims to split the occupied West Bank into two parts. In a landmark opinion last July, the International Court of Justice declared Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory illegal and demanded the evacuation of all Israeli settlements.
[Photo: Palestinians run to safer places after Israeli airstrike at the Shati Refugee Camp, leaving casualties and injuries on September 11, 2025, in Gaza. Photojournalist: Khames Alrefi/AA]
