Israeli Assault on Gaza Enters 603rd Day Amid Intensified Bombardment, Rising Civilian Death Toll
The Israeli occupation army continues its brutal assault on the Gaza Strip for the 603rd consecutive day, carrying out a wave of airstrikes and heavy artillery shelling across multiple areas.
The ongoing offensive has resulted in numerous fatalities, dozens of injuries, and extensive destruction to civilian infrastructure and residential homes.
In northern Gaza, the body of a Palestinian martyr was recovered following an Israeli airstrike on the city of Beit Lahia. Intense artillery fire also targeted northern Gaza City, as well as areas near the Wadi Gaza bridge and the city of Al-Zahra, north of the Nuseirat refugee camp.
Widespread Demolition in Khan Younis
In a notable development, Israeli occupation forces carried out repeated demolitions of residential buildings in the town of Al-Qarara, northeast of Khan Younis. The bodies of two martyrs killed in a previous Israeli strike on the town were recovered from beneath the rubble. Artillery shelling resumed alongside the fresh demolitions, further devastating the area.
The municipality of Khuza'a, east of Khan Younis, reported that the scale of destruction caused by Israeli bombardment has surpassed all estimates. It declared the town completely non-operational, stating that all aspects of civilian life have been targeted, rendering it a disaster zone in every sense.
In central Gaza, a Palestinian civilian was martyred and several others wounded when Israeli occupation forces targeted a group of people in Khan Younis.
Separately, Israeli warplanes struck the Bukhit family home in the Al-Saftawi area of northern Gaza City, resulting in multiple injuries, according to medical services.
BREAKING: Israeli warplanes bomb the Ashour building on Omar Al-Mukhtar Street in Gaza City. pic.twitter.com/jJTESUo43X
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) May 31, 2025
Entire Families Wiped Out in Gaza City
In Gaza City, Arafat Deeb, his wife, and their children were killed overnight when an Israeli airstrike hit their tent near the Omar Mosque in the Ard Al-Shanti neighborhood.
Additional strikes targeted Jabalia in the north and the eastern areas of Al-Bureij refugee camp, while artillery fire pounded the vicinity of the destroyed Prisoners' Towers northwest of Nuseirat.
In Khan Younis, Israeli artillery resumed attacks on the neighborhoods of Qizan Al-Najjar, Al-Fukhari, and Abasan, accompanied by heavy airstrikes on the city's eastern and northern districts.
Dense smoke was seen rising from Abu Rashwan and Qizan Al-Najjar, following further strikes. Israeli armored vehicles also opened fire toward the northwestern areas of the Strip, while artillery shelled the surroundings of Hamad City and Al-Sater Al-Gharbi.
'It is starvation. It is a deliberate policy they are experimenting on us. It is wrong and oppressive to us.'
A Palestinian mother breaks down in tears, saying the current U.S.-Israeli aid mechanism in Gaza does not work for families like hers, as they are required to walk… pic.twitter.com/uXjU6aaaG8
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) May 31, 2025
Deadly Attack in Rafah Amid Humanitarian Desperation
In southern Rafah, two civilians were shot dead and dozens injured by Israeli occupation forces as they attempted to reach an aid distribution center operated by a US-based company near Al-Alam roundabout, west of the city.
Meanwhile, intense gunfire continued from Israeli tanks in Qizan Al-Najjar and Al-Qarara, where advancing forces carried out raids and shelling deep into residential zones, inflicting further casualties and damage among civilians.
Since the beginning of the Israeli assault on Gaza, the Palestinian death toll has risen to 54,321, with 123,770 wounded, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
The ministry reported that approximately 72% of the victims are women and children, underscoring the extensive targeting of residential areas and civilian infrastructure.
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