Overview

• At least 24 civilians died and dozens were injured when an Israeli airstrike hit al-Baqa café on June 30, turning a key Gaza City gathering spot into rubble.
• The café had served as a rare social refuge for artists, journalists and young professionals after regaining internet connectivity during a brief truce.
• The Israeli military says it targeted “several Hamas terrorists” at the site, claims precautions were taken to protect civilians and has launched an incident review.
• Al-Shifa Hospital, operating at just 10 percent capacity, struggled with medicine shortages and overloaded operating rooms as hundreds of casualties arrived.
• Israel’s restrictions on international media have left access to Gaza tightly controlled since October 2023, hindering independent coverage of the strike.