Deadly strikes Across Gaza

DEIR AL BALAH, Gaza Strip – Israeli airstrikes on Thursday, April 3, 2025, resulted in the deaths of at least 100 Palestinians throughout the Gaza Strip, according to Palestinian medical authorities. Among the casualties were at least 27 individuals, including 14 children and five women, who were seeking shelter at a school in the Tuffah neighborhood of Gaza City. Health Ministry spokesman Zaher al-Wahidi stated that the death toll could increase due to the critical injuries sustained by approximately 70 wounded individuals. Additionally, more than 30 Gaza residents were reportedly killed in strikes targeting homes in the nearby Shijaiyah neighborhood.

The Israeli military stated that they struck a “Hamas command and control center” in the Gaza City area and asserted that measures were taken to minimize harm to civilians. This justification echoes a similar claim made a day earlier when an attack on a United Nations building used as a shelter resulted in at least 17 fatalities.

“Hamas condemned the strike on the school,calling it a ‘heinous massacre’ of innocent civilians.”

Evacuation Orders and Displacement Crisis

Adding to the turmoil, the Israeli military issued evacuation orders to residents in parts of northern Gaza, urging them to move west and south to shelters. This directive was accompanied by a warning of “extreme force” to be used in the area. The United Nations humanitarian office estimates that approximately 280,000 Palestinians have been displaced sence israel ended the ceasefire with Hamas last month.

One displaced resident, Mohammad Ermana, 72, recounted his ordeal: “My wife and I have been walking for three hours covering only one kilometer…I’m searching for shelters every hour now, not every day.” The plight of Ermana highlights the dire conditions faced by those forced to flee their homes, often with limited resources and facing immense uncertainty.

This strategy of evacuation orders followed by military action raises serious concerns within international humanitarian law, specifically regarding the principle of proportionality. Proportionality dictates that even legitimate military objectives must be weighed against the potential harm to civilians, and actions should be taken to minimize civilian casualties.

Blockade and Humanitarian Crisis Deepens

Compounding the crisis, senior government officials announced Israel’s intention to seize large parts of the Palestinian territory and establish a new security corridor across it. Furthermore, Israel has imposed a month-long blockade on food, fuel, and humanitarian aid, leading to acute shortages for civilians. Rights groups condemn this tactic as a potential war crime.

The impact of this blockade resonates deeply with U.S. audiences, evoking parallels to historical instances of blockades and their devastating consequences on civilian populations. The blockade strategy also raises questions under international law, specifically regarding the Fourth Geneva Convention, which outlines protections for civilians in times of war and prohibits actions that would subject them to unneeded suffering.

Hamas maintains its stance that it will only release the remaining hostages in exchange for the release of more Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire, and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. The group has rejected demands to disarm or leave the territory.

Casualty Reports and Allegations of War Crimes

Overnight strikes resulted in at least 55 fatalities in the Gaza Strip,according to hospital officials. In Khan Younis, bodies were taken to Nasser Hospital, including nine from the same family. The dead included five children and four women. Additional bodies were taken to the European hospital near Khan Younis, including five children aged between 1 and 7 years and a pregnant woman. In Gaza City, 21 bodies were taken to Ahli hospital, including those of seven children.

The attacks came as the Israeli military promised an independent inquiry of a March 23 operation in which its forces opened fire on ambulances in southern Gaza. U.N. officials say 15 Palestinian medics and emergency responders were killed, and their bodies and ambulances were buried by Israeli soldiers in a mass grave.

Younes Al-Khatib, head of the Palestine Red Crescent Society, believes some of the medics were still alive when they were overtaken by Israeli forces. U.N. human rights chief Volker Türk warned of “a high and increasing risk” that Israel is committing war crimes in Gaza. He also stated that by preventing aid from reaching Palestinians, Israel’s blockade “may also amount to the use of starvation as a method of war.”

U.N. human rights chief Volker Türk, citing the ambulance attack, warned Thursday that there is “a high and increasing risk” israel is committing war crimes in Gaza.

Israel’s security Plans and International Condemnation

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Israel’s intention to establish a new security corridor across Gaza, potentially cutting off Rafah from the rest of the Palestinian territory. Israel has also reasserted control over the Netzarim corridor, a military zone separating the northern third of Gaza from the rest of the strip.

Netanyahu reiterated Israel’s plan to maintain overall security control of Gaza after the war and implement a plan to resettle much of its population elsewhere through “voluntary emigration.” Palestinians have rejected this proposal, viewing it as expulsion from their homeland. Human rights experts argue that implementing this plan would likely violate international law.

The war in Gaza has resulted in the deaths of more than 50,000 Palestinians, according to gaza’s Health Ministry, with more than half being women and children. Israel claims to have killed around 20,000 militants, without providing evidence. The war has devastated vast areas of Gaza and displaced a notable portion of the population.

This echoes historical instances of population displacement and forced relocation,prompting U.S.audiences and policymakers to scrutinize the legality and ethical implications of such proposals under international law.

Netanyahu’s Hungary Visit Amidst Arrest Warrant

Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in Hungary on his second foreign trip since the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant against him in November. The ICC alleges that Netanyahu used “starvation as a method of warfare” and intentionally targeted civilians in the campaign against Hamas.

ICC member countries are obligated to arrest suspects facing a warrant, but the court lacks enforcement power and relies on state compliance. Hungary announced that it will begin the procedure of withdrawing from the ICC.

This situation creates a complex geopolitical dynamic, notably for the United States, given its historical relationship with both Israel and its commitment to international justice and human rights. The U.S. is not a member of the ICC and has historically criticized the court’s jurisdiction, especially in cases involving U.S. citizens or allies.