Israeli strikes on Gaza killed 464 Palestinians in past week: Health ministry
- Last updated: May 18, 2025 | 17:59
Some 464 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli military strikes on Gaza in the past week, according to a report published by the territory's health ministry.
It also said that 1,418 others had been wounded in the same period between May 11 and May 17.
The overnight airstrikes on Gaza hit as Israel prepares for a new ground offensive aimed at achieving "operational control" in parts of Gaza.
Gaza's health ministry said at least 464 Palestinians were killed in the week to Sunday as a result of Israel's escalated bombardment.
The deaths of at least 130 Palestinians overnight are in addition to that figure.
"Complete families were wiped off the civil registration record by (overnight) Israeli bombardment," Khalil Al Deqran, Gaza health ministry spokesperson, told Reuters by phone.
The Israeli military had no immediate comment on the casualties. Israel has blocked the entry of medical, food and fuel supplies into Gaza since the start of March to try to pressure Hamas into freeing Israeli hostages and has approved plans that could involve seizing the entire Gaza Strip and controlling aid.
'HOSPITALS OVERWHELMED'
Reports in Israeli and Arab media that Hamas leader Mohammed Sinwar may have been killed could potentially complicate the Doha talks, which began on Saturday.
Hamas neither confirmed nor denied the reports. Israel's Defence Ministry had no immediate comment.
Gaza medics said contrary to earlier reports Zakaria Al Sinwar, a history lecturer at a Gaza university and the brother of Hamas' leader, was alive but in critical condition.
He was placed in the morgue earlier with his three children, before medics realized he was still breathing and moved him to an intensive care unit. "Hospitals are overwhelmed with a growing number of casualties, many are children," health ministry spokesman Deqran said.
Gaza health authorities said most of those killed on Saturday were in towns on the northern edge of the enclave, including Beit Lahiya and the Jabalia refugee camp, as well as in the southern city of Khan Younis. They said 459 people had been injured. Israeli forces had told people to leave the northern areas on Friday.
“Northern Gaza is witnessing a systematic campaign of extermination,” Hamas said in a statement, calling on Arab leaders at a summit in Baghdad to take practical steps to stop the aggression and ensure the delivery of aid.
Talks since March have failed to restore a truce under which Hamas would release remaining hostages captured in the October, 2023 assault on Israel that precipitated the war. Hamas has long said it would not free them unless Israel ends its campaign; Israel says it will fight on until Hamas is dismantled.
NBC News reported on Friday, citing five people with knowledge of the matter, that the Trump administration is working on a plan to permanently relocate as many as one million Palestinians from the Gaza Strip to Libya. All major Palestinian political groups reject any such displacement.
Also during the day, Italy’s government on Saturday upped its exhortations to Israel to stop deadly military strikes in Gaza, with Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani saying: “Enough with the attacks.”
“We no longer want to see the Palestinian people suffer,” Tajani said during a trip to Sicily, in remarks relayed by his spokesman. “Let’s come to a ceasefire, let’s free the hostages, but let’s leave people who are victims of Hamas alone,” he was cited as saying.
Germany is “deeply concerned” about the situation in Gaza, where it said an intensified Israeli offensive could endanger the lives of hostages, including Germans, the foreign ministry said.
The offensive “could put the lives of the remaining hostages, including those of German hostages, in danger,” said a ministry statement. “A broad military offensive also risks worsening further the catastrophic humanitarian situation for Gaza’s population and the remaining hostages,” it added.
Agencies