By Esther Ososanya
Palestinians reported the most intense bombardments in weeks on Monday in eastern Gaza City, just hours after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he expected to complete a new expanded offensive against Hamas “fairly quickly”.
An airstrike killed six journalists, including prominent Al Jazeera correspondent Anas Al Sharif, in a tent at Gaza City’s Al Shifa Hospital compound, the deadliest single strike on journalists in Israel’s 22-month campaign.
Witnesses said Israeli tanks and planes hit Sabra, Zeitoun, and Shejaia, pushing many families westward.
Residents described one of the worst nights in weeks, fearing a deeper offensive into a city now sheltering an estimated 1 million people displaced from northern Gaza.
The Israeli military said it fired artillery at Hamas militants in the area but gave no indication of immediate troop movements into the city.
Netanyahu said Sunday he had ordered the Israel Defence Forces to “shorten the schedule” for seizing control of Gaza City, describing it as Hamas’s “capital of terrorism” and signalling central Gaza could be next.
French President Emmanuel Macron warned the plan risked “a disaster of unprecedented gravity”.
Germany announced a halt to military equipment exports to Israel that could be used in Gaza, while Britain and other European allies urged restraint.
Worsening Humanitarian Crisis
The Gaza Health Ministry said five more people, including children, had died of malnutrition in the past 24 hours, bringing the total to 222 starvation-related deaths since the war began. Israel says it has increased aid deliveries, but U.N. and Palestinian officials insist supplies remain far below urgent needs.
READ ALSO: Egypt Pushes 800 Aid Trucks to Gaza as Over 3,000 Tons Await Clearance
Medics at Al Shifa Hospital confirmed the airstrike killed Al Sharif, four colleagues, and freelancer Mohammad Al-Khaldi. Israel alleged Al Sharif was a Hamas operative involved in rocket attacks, a claim both Al Jazeera and the journalist had denied.
The Gaza government media office says 238 journalists have been killed during the war; the Committee to Protect Journalists cites at least 186 confirmed deaths.
The war began in October 2023 when Hamas-led fighters killed 1,200 people and abducted 251 hostages in Israel.
About 50 remain in Gaza, with only around 20 believed alive.
Gaza health officials say more than 61,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli strikes, with much of the enclave in ruins and most residents displaced multiple times.
Esther Ososanya is an investigative journalist with Pinnacle Daily, reporting across health, business, environment, metro, Fct and crime. Known for her bold, empathetic storytelling, she uncovers hidden truths, challenges broken systems, and gives voice to overlooked Nigerians. Her work drives national conversations and demands accountability one powerful story at a time.
