A baby girl and her parents were killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza's Muwasi area on Saturday, according to hospital officials and witnesses. The two-and-a-half-month-old daughter of Motasem al-Batta died alongside her parents in their tent in the crowded area designated as a "safe zone."
The baby's body, wrapped in blue, was placed on those of her parents as Palestinians prayed over them. Temperatures soared above 32 degrees Celsius as neighbours expressed their grief.
"Two and a half months, what has she done?" neighbour Fathi Shubeir asked. "They are civilians in an area designated safe."
Israel's military said it is dismantling Hamas' military capabilities and takes precautions not to harm civilians, but couldn't comment on the specific strike without more details.
Growing pressure for hostage deal
Families of the 50 remaining hostages in Gaza have called for a "nationwide day of stoppage" on Sunday to express growing frustration over 22 months of war. Only 20 of the hostages are thought to remain alive.
The families were horrified by recent videos showing emaciated hostages speaking under duress, pleading for help and food. "Across the country, hundreds of citizen-led initiatives will pause daily life and join the most just and moral struggle: the struggle to bring all 50 hostages home," they said.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has indicated Israel plans to widen its military offensive in heavily populated areas like Muwasi, with mobilisation expected to take weeks.
Humanitarian catastrophe deepens
Gaza faces its worst malnutrition crisis since the war began, with 251 people dying from famine-related causes during the conflict. Eleven more malnutrition-related deaths occurred over the past 24 hours, including one child.
According to The Guardian, one in five young children in Gaza City are now malnourished, with a 21.5 per cent malnutrition rate. Sky News reports that every hospital in Gaza is overwhelmed with malnutrition cases.
Over 50,000 children have been killed or injured in Gaza since October 2023. Some 1,760 people have been killed while seeking aid since May 27.
International calls for action
The Guardian reports that former Biden administration officials found no evidence of Hamas diverting humanitarian aid, contradicting Israeli claims. The UN and partners say getting aid to Gaza's 2.1 million people remains highly challenging due to Israeli restrictions and pressure from hungry crowds.
According to the BBC, 96 cross-party UK MPs are demanding immediate medical evacuations for critically ill children, highlighting growing international parliamentary concern.
The Hamas-led attack in October 2023 killed around 1,200 people in Israel. Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed 61,897 people in Gaza, according to the Health Ministry, which says around half were women and children.
Sources used: "PA Media", "The Guardian", "Sky News", "BBC" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
