Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 01:25pm on 21 Jul 2025,Monday International
Israel launched its first combined ground and air assault on Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, with tanks entering the city and airstrikes targeting key locations. Thick smoke rose as thousands of displaced Palestinians fled towards what they hoped were safer areas. Deir al-Balah reportedly holds Israeli hostages. Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry said over 59,000 people have died since October 2023, with 19 more deaths from starvation in the past 24 hours. Over 1.5 million face severe malnutrition. Israeli airstrikes continue across Gaza, with foreign media, including the BBC, still barred from reporting freely inside the enclave. (PC: BBC)
