At least 81 people have been killed over the past 24 hours in Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza Strip, the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry reported on June 28, 2025. The casualties span multiple locations, including tent camps and densely populated neighborhoods. Officials say a strike near a stadium in Gaza City, where displaced families were sheltering, resulted in “dozens” of deaths. Another air raid hit a school in the Tuffah district, further adding to the mounting toll. Among the deceased are entire families and children, according to the ministry.

These attacks come amid continuing conflict between Israel and Hamas, which reignited after Hamas-led militants attacked Israel on October 7, 2023. Since then, Gaza’s Health Ministry reports more than 56,000 Palestinians have died. The latest hourly casualty figure—81 fatalities—tallies only the most recent day of intensified airstrikes. Witness accounts describe scenes of chaos: ambulances struggling to navigate rubble and overwhelmed hospitals receiving numerous bodies simultaneously. One distressing report from a tent camp near Gaza City noted the deaths of several children during overnight strikes.

The Gaza Health Ministry’s numbers, while contested by Israel, have historically aligned with recognized independent sources such as the UN and the World Health Organization. Though the ministry does not differentiate between civilian and combatant fatalities, widespread civilian deaths—especially among displaced persons—underscore the mounting humanitarian crisis. Israel maintains that its targets are militant positions and that civilian casualties are unintended, often due to Hamas operating within densely populated areas. Israel’s armed forces acknowledge the strikes but say civilians are not intentional targets.

International reactions are mounting. Humanitarian groups and UN officials have expressed deep concern about what they call a “famine-like” situation in Gaza, where displaced families, many seeking refuge in makeshift camps, face dire shortages of food, water, and medical aid. Other reports indicate that aid-seeking crowds have been fired upon near distribution points, resulting in additional deaths. Efforts for a ceasefire intensify amidst this violence. Back-channel negotiations involving U.S., Qatari, and Egyptian mediators may yield a pause, with both Hamas and Israel signaling tentative openness, though key issues—such as hostage releases and disarmament—remain unresolved.