At least 12 Palestinians, including seven women and two children, have been killed after an Israeli air strike hit a stadium in the Nuseirat refugee camp being used to shelter displaced families.
The attack on al-Ahli Stadium on Wednesday came as Israel pressed ahead with its assault on Gaza despite growing demands for a ceasefire from world leaders gathered at the UN General Assembly in New York.
Witnesses described scenes of panic as families fled the makeshift refuge. “I only had what I had in my hand. I left with nothing,” said Najwa, a displaced woman from Gaza City.
“We are frightened. Transportation is expensive. We can’t pay to bring our things.”
The strike was part of a broader escalation. According to Gaza’s health authorities, at least 85 Palestinians were killed across the territory in the past 24 hours, more than double the toll of the previous day.
Since the war began in October 2023, at least 65,419 Palestinians have been killed and over 167,000 injured. Thousands remain missing under the rubble.
The UN warned Israel’s offensive was “inflicting terror” on civilians and forcing tens of thousands to flee.
Israeli military chief of staff Eyal Zamir insisted operations were pushing people southward “for their safety” and vowed a “systematic and thorough advance” into Gaza City.
But UN investigators rejected that claim, concluding Israel’s campaign seeks permanent control over the territory and the West Bank.
At the UN, global condemnation intensified. Iran’s president, Masoud Pezeshkian, accused Israel of “murdering children” while Syria’s president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, demanded an immediate ceasefire.
Norway’s foreign minister Espen Barth Eide revealed quiet talks were under way, saying even Israel’s allies, including the US, were beginning to recognise “we cannot just continue with this endless, senseless war”.
Washington’s envoy Steve Witkoff said Donald Trump’s 21-point peace plan had been circulated, expressing optimism about a breakthrough.
Yet optimism is tempered by Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s repeated rejection of ceasefire initiatives.
Earlier this month he ordered the assassination of Hamas leaders in Doha, derailing Trump’s previous proposal, and continues to reject the creation of a Palestinian state.
Protests have erupted inside Israel itself, with demonstrators gathering at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion airport to denounce Netanyahu as he left for the UN.
