The ongoing Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip has resulted in a devastating loss of life, with at least 40 Palestinians killed and 73 others injured in the last 24 hours, according to medical sources within the enclave. The overall Palestinian death toll since October 2023 has tragically risen to 51,065, with an additional 116,505 individuals wounded, the majority of whom are women and children. In southern Israel, an estimated 1,139 people were killed and approximately 250 taken captive during the initial attacks.

Emergency services continue to face immense challenges in reaching casualties, with numerous bodies trapped under rubble or scattered across roads in the war-torn region. Israeli forces are reportedly targeting ambulance and civil defense crews, further hindering rescue efforts. The situation remains dire despite calls from the United Nations Security Council for an immediate ceasefire and directives from the International Court of Justice urging measures to prevent genocide and alleviate the humanitarian crisis.

Recent Israeli air raids have intensified, with at least 32 Palestinians killed across the Gaza Strip since dawn on Thursday. The northern part of Gaza has been particularly affected, with 23 deaths reported as emergency crews continue to recover bodies from the rubble. The United Nations special rapporteur on the right to health has condemned an Israeli airstrike on the Al-Ahli Hospital in northern Gaza, describing it as a devastating blow to an already collapsed healthcare system. The attack severely damaged the emergency room, surgical operations unit, and medical oxygen production station, rendering the hospital inoperable and resulting in the death of an injured child. Tlaleng Mofokeng, the UN special rapporteur, stated that the attack has reduced healthcare options to zero and accused Israel of operating with impunity, leading to the decimation of the healthcare system.

Inside Israel, more than 120,000 people have signed 43 petitions demanding an end to the war on Gaza and a prisoner exchange, according to the "Restart Israel" website. Sixteen of these petitions were signed by over 10,000 members of the military, including veterans, reservists, and soldiers from multiple brigades, elite units, and intelligence branches. Notable figures, such as former Prime Minister Ehud Barak and former Chief of Staff Dan Halutz, have also signed the petitions, along with four former navy commanders and other senior military figures. The petitions uniformly call for the release of 59 Israeli hostages held in Gaza and an immediate ceasefire.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accused the military signatories of insubordination and threatened to dismiss them, claiming that foreign-funded groups are backing the effort to bring down his coalition. He described the petitioners as a small, anarchistic group and threatened to expel anyone inciting disobedience. This internal opposition followed the collapse of the first phase of a ceasefire and hostage-prisoner exchange deal, which began on January 19 with Qatari and Egyptian mediation and US support. While Hamas complied with the terms, Netanyahu, under pressure from his far-right coalition, refused to move to phase two, leading to the resumption of military operations on March 18.

Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant face arrest warrants from the International Criminal Court over war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Israel is also facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice over its actions in the enclave. Furthermore, 36 members of the Board of Deputies of British Jews have voiced their opposition to the Israeli government’s renewed military campaign in Gaza, criticizing the decision to resume war and highlighting the continued loss of Palestinian lives and the failure to secure the return of hostages. They emphasized that their Jewish values compel them to speak out against the brutal war and the normalization of violence.