At least 74 people were killed on Monday as Israeli forces launched several attacks in Gaza, according to health workers and eyewitnesses. One of the deadliest strikes hit a crowded seaside cafe, while others died when Israeli troops opened fire on civilians trying to get food.
The airstrike on Al-Baqa Cafe in Gaza City caused the highest number of deaths. The cafe, one of the few places still operating in the city, was packed with women and children when it was hit. Ali Abu Ateila, who was inside at the time, said a warplane suddenly attacked without warning. The explosion shook the building and caused instant chaos.
Emergency services confirmed that at least 30 people were killed in that single strike. Dozens more were wounded, many critically. Health workers rushed victims to Shifa Hospital, where scenes of panic and pain unfolded. Videos shared online showed blood-covered survivors and lifeless bodies being carried away in blankets.
Two other strikes on a nearby street in Gaza City killed 15 more people, all of whom were taken to Shifa Hospital. Another attack near the town of Zawaida hit a building and killed six people, according to staff at Al-Aqsa Hospital. These attacks came during a day of heavy fighting, adding to the rising civilian toll of the nearly 20-month-long conflict.
Elsewhere in southern Gaza, 11 people were shot and killed while returning from a food distribution point run by the Gaza Humanitarian Fund. The program is supported by both Israel and the United States. Witnesses said the victims were walking back along the only road available when they were fired upon. Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis confirmed receiving the bodies.
Over the past month, more than 500 people have died near or during such aid operations. Crowds often gather at these points, hoping to get food, but face severe risks. The lack of clear safety measures has turned some of these areas into deadly zones. One more person was killed near a similar aid site in Rafah. Another was shot while waiting near the Netzarim corridor, which divides northern and southern Gaza. Al-Awda Hospital reported that case.
Later that same day, 10 more people died in an attack at a United Nations warehouse in northern Gaza. The Health Ministry’s ambulance services said they had retrieved the bodies from the scene. These incidents show how unsafe aid locations have become in recent weeks. People trying to feed their families are being killed in areas that should be safe zones.
Residents of Gaza are struggling to survive under extreme conditions. The war has destroyed much of the region’s infrastructure, cutting access to food, water, electricity, and medical care. The cafe that was destroyed had become a rare place where people could charge their phones and connect to the internet. Its destruction represents more than a military strike — it was a blow to the little normal life that remained.
As attacks continue, families are caught in the middle. Children, the elderly, and the injured often make long journeys just to reach aid stations. Many do not return. There is growing concern that these killings are part of a pattern targeting vulnerable people in public spaces. Witnesses, hospitals, and aid workers have repeatedly called for better protection and coordination.
The Gaza civilian casualties on Monday add to a mounting death toll in one of the world’s most dangerous regions. With no end to the violence in sight, civilians continue to pay the highest price.
