The death toll in Gaza has now surpassed 66,000 as Israel tightens its siege on the enclave, while the “Freedom Flotilla” carrying aid and activists moves closer to the territory’s shores.
According to the Gaza Health Ministry, more than 13,280 people have been killed since fighting resumed on 18 March, adding to the devastation that began with the outbreak of war in October 2023. The ministry reported 51 deaths and 180 injuries in the past 24 hours alone, bringing the total number of wounded to over 168,000.
Meanwhile, the Israeli army has closed Al-Rashid coastal road — a vital artery in the Gaza Strip — restricting movement to southward evacuations with no return allowed. Israeli Security Minister Israel Katz announced that forces were consolidating control over the Natzarim corridor, which extends to the Mediterranean coast, effectively dividing Gaza into northern and southern sections and further tightening the siege on Gaza City. The Gaza Government Media Office denounced the measure as a “punitive step aimed at forcibly displacing civilians.”
Hamas warned that Katz’s remarks, in which he claimed that anyone remaining in Gaza City would be deemed “a fighter or a supporter of terrorism,” laid the groundwork for “intensified war crimes.” In a statement, the group accused Israel of carrying out “ethnic cleansing and systematic forced displacement,” urging the international community, as well as Arab and Islamic states, to intervene without delay.
On the battlefield, Hamas’ Al-Qassam Brigades and Islamic Jihad’s Al-Quds Brigades said they had shelled an Israeli command post along the Morag axis south of Khan Younis. Israeli airstrikes, meanwhile, struck Gaza City and surrounding areas, killing dozens of civilians, including entire families, according to local reports.
At sea, the “Freedom Flotilla” — a convoy of around 50 ships carrying humanitarian supplies and international activists — is now just 120 nautical miles from Gaza. Organisers said the flotilla had entered a “high-risk zone,” reporting electronic interference and the approach of unidentified vessels. Despite Israeli threats, the ships continue their course. Colombian President Gustavo Petro warned that any attack on the flotilla would amount to “a crime against humanity,” while Australia expressed concern for its citizens on board and lodged a protest with Israel over reports of harassment.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) announced a temporary suspension of operations in Gaza City due to escalating hostilities, relocating its staff to southern Gaza. The organisation warned that “tens of thousands” of civilians remain trapped in the city under “horrific humanitarian conditions.”
Diplomatic efforts also continued. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty met with UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini in Al-Ula, Saudi Arabia, reiterating Egypt’s full support for the agency. Abdelatty condemned Israeli restrictions on aid trucks, warning they were driving Gaza toward famine. He also announced that Egypt, in coordination with Palestine and the United Nations, would host an international conference on Gaza’s early recovery efforts once a ceasefire is in place.
