Kathmandu: At least 38 Palestinians were killed and dozens more injured in Israeli airstrikes and shelling across the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, according to health officials in Gaza. The Israeli military also confirmed the deaths of seven soldiers in a deadly explosion during ground operations in southern Gaza, marking one of the bloodiest days in the ongoing war.

One of the deadliest incidents occurred in the Netzarim neighborhood of central Gaza, where local witnesses and medical workers reported that Israeli forces opened fire on civilians waiting near a US-supported food aid distribution center. Al-Awda Hospital confirmed that 10 bodies were recovered from the site and 53 others were being treated for injuries.

Elsewhere, civilian deaths were reported across several regions of Gaza. In the al-Shuzayyah area of eastern Gaza City, an Israeli airstrike on a building near a gas station killed seven members of the same family, including women and children, according to the Gaza Civil Defense. In Rafah’s al-Shakush area, Israeli fire killed one person and wounded six others.

Further attacks in Deir al-Balah, the al-Nusra refugee camp, and Jabaliya claimed at least 15 more lives, with several people still reported missing. Another strike near the Ansar government building in western Gaza resulted in the deaths of five individuals, including a woman and a child. The Israeli military has not issued an official response regarding these incidents involving civilian casualties.

The Israeli Defense Forces confirmed that seven of its soldiers were killed on Tuesday when an armored vehicle exploded during clashes in southern Gaza. The explosion highlights the high-risk nature of ongoing ground operations in heavily contested areas.

Israel resumed its military offensive in Gaza on March 18. According to Gaza’s health ministry, 5,759 Palestinians have been killed and 19,807 injured since then. Since the war began in October 2023, the total number of deaths in Gaza has reached 56,077, with 131,848 people injured.

The violence has also worsened the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Aid workers report that distribution centers and hospitals are increasingly unsafe, and thousands of civilians are suffering from food shortages, lack of medical care, and destruction of shelter.

While international calls for a ceasefire continue to grow louder, the ongoing conflict shows no signs of resolution, raising fears of further escalation and civilian suffering.