Gaza Death Toll Surpasses 26,000 Amid Intensifying Conflict

As Israeli forces push further into southern Gaza, the United Nations' top court stops short of ordering a cease-fire.

Israeli airstrikes on the Nuseirat urban refugee camp in central Gaza Strip overnight killed at least 15 people, including a 5-month-old baby, as health authorities in the besieged territory said the death toll since the start of the war has surpassed 26,000.
In southern Gaza, Israeli forces pushed further into the city of Khan Younis, where the intensity of the fighting has increased in recent days.
The United Nations’ top court on Friday stopped short of ordering a cease-fire in Gaza, as sought by South Africa, which has accused Israel of genocide in its military offensive.
Israel launched its offensive in Gaza after Hamas’s unprecedented attack into Israel on Oct. 7, killing about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and kidnapping about 250.
Israel’s near-complete seal on Gaza has left almost the entire population of 2.3 million reliant on a trickle of international aid able to enter the territory each day.