Gaza’s emergency service condemns Israeli attack on its bulldozers

Gaza’s Civil Defence has condemned Israel for targeting bulldozers used in humanitarian operations, including rubble removal and the recovery of bodies.

Nine bulldozers were destroyed in an Israeli air attack on the Jabalia al-Nazlh municipality garage in northern Gaza, according to Civil Defence official Mohammed el-Mougher.

“An agreement had previously been reached with the Egyptian-Qatari committee regarding the location of the bulldozers’ shelters,” he said, noting that their coordinates had been shared with Israel.

El-Mougher described the attack as a “clear violation” of international law protecting civilian rescue equipment. “This area had not been declared by the Israeli occupation as an evacuation or military danger zone,” he said.

We reported earlier that Israeli forces launched similar attacks on bulldozers in northern and southern Gaza. Footage published by the Quds News Network shows plumes of smoke rising from the targeted site.

اندلاع حريق جراء قصف الاحتلال كراج تابع لبلدية جباليا، والذي يضم جرافات وآليات تابعة للبلدية، شمال غزة. pic.twitter.com/9AMVUEK6r6

— شبكة قدس الإخبارية (@qudsn) April 21, 2025

Israeli attacks on Gaza kill 28 since dawn

At least 28 people have been killed in Israeli air strikes on several areas across the Gaza Strip since dawn, medical sources told Al Jazeera.

Since Israel began its war on Gaza in October 2023, at least 51,266 people have been killed and 116,991 wounded, the enclave’s Health Ministry reported.

Gaza witnessing ‘truly extraordinary’ increase in number of Israeli attacks

The situation is unfolding rapidly here on the ground. What we are seeing is truly extraordinary in terms of very huge momentum of air strikes and artillery bombardments that have been seen over the course of the past 24 hours.

What we understand is that the Israeli military has launched huge and heavy waves of air strikes with the latest targeting a group of Palestinians – three were confirmed killed in the strike, including two girls under the age of 14.

It has been quite obvious that these attacks are focused on eradicating entire families – we’re talking about four generations being wiped out – and also a more systematic escalation has been taking place on targeting heavy machinery that has been allowed to enter Gaza during the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal.

Israeli military continues raids across occupied West Bank

Here’s what Wafa and Palestinian media are reporting:

Rights groups urge world leaders to end Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory

The 30 groups, which include Oxfam, Medical Aid for Palestinians and ActionAid, have issued a statement noting that more than six months have passed since the UN General Assembly demanded Israel end its occupation of Palestinian territory within 12 months, in line with an advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

But instead of complying, “Israel has intensified its violence in the West Bank and renewed its blockade and military bombardment of Gaza, breaking a fragile two-month ceasefire and further exacerbating the human-made humanitarian crisis,” they said.

World leaders must act urgently to “uphold their legal and moral responsibilities”, the statement said, including by:

Arrests as Israeli forces continue West Bank raids

Here’s what’s happening:

Israel deletes condolences over Pope Francis’s death

The Israeli government shared and then deleted a social media post offering condolences over the death of Pope Francis, without saying why, though an Israeli newspaper linked the decision to the late pontiff’s criticism of the war in Gaza.

The verified @Israel account had posted on Monday a message on social media platform X that read: “Rest in Peace, Pope Francis. May his memory be a blessing”, alongside an image of the pope visiting the Western Wall in Jerusalem.

The Jerusalem Post quoted officials at the Foreign Ministry as saying that the pope had made “statements against Israel” and that the social media post had been published in “error”.

Francis, who died on Monday aged 88, suggested last November that the global community should study whether Israel’s military campaign in Gaza constitutes a genocide of the Palestinian people, in some of his most explicit criticism yet of Israel’s conduct in its war with Hamas that began in October 2023.

US air strikes target three areas in Yemen: Report

Yemen’s Al Masirah news outlet has reported that US air strikes have targeted at least three areas across the country.

The Houthi-affiliated outlet said a series of strikes targeted Kamran Island in the Red Sea, two air strikes hit the as-Salif district in western Yemen, and four air strikes were reported in the as-Saleem district in the Saada province in the north of the country.

Yemen’s Houthis say they shot down a US drone

The Yemeni group says this is the seventh US drone it has downed so far this month and the 22nd since the Gaza war began.

In a statement, the Houthis said their “air defence shot down a hostile American MQ-9 Reaper drone while it was carrying out hostile missions in the airspace of Hajjah Governorate”.

The US has been carrying out deadly air attacks against what it says are Houthi targets in Yemen, killing dozens of people – including many civilians – over the past weeks.

The Trump administration has warned that its military campaign will continue until the Yemeni group halts all attacks on vessels in the Red Sea. The Houthis have rejected the US assault, stressing that they are targeting ships in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza and will stop when Israel ends its war on the enclave.

‘Speak for us. Act for us,’ Palestinian girl says

UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, has shared testimonials from Palestinian children in Gaza describing their struggles during Israel’s blockade.

“These days we have to carry water a really long way. At times it’s clean, at other times it’s not. Despite that, we drink it,” said Ahmad, 14.

UNRWA said about 3,700 Palestinian children in Gaza were admitted for treatment for acute malnutrition last month.

Hunger in #Gaza is spreading and deepening. The impact on children is particularly dramatic because they are more susceptible to dehydration, diarrhea, and disease.

Nearly 3,700 children were newly admitted for treatment for acute malnutrition in March.

The siege must end. Aid… pic.twitter.com/pZVxTnbA71

— UNRWA (@UNRWA) April 22, 2025

Qatari PM says Israel’s continuation of Gaza war and blockade is ‘unacceptable’

Qatar’s prime minister has told Al Jazeera Arabic that mediators are still working hard to reach a permanent deal to end Israel’s war on Gaza as soon as possible, even though Israel’s recent behaviour has shown it is “not interested” in peace.

“Continuing such a chaotic war and the blockade is unacceptable,” Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani said.

“We are still working with our colleagues in Egypt to reach an agreement. There are big challenges and difficulties. During the last period, the Israeli behaviour was clear that it is not interested in reaching a deal,” he added.

“But, we want to reach a full deal to end the war and to release all the hostages and the Palestinian prisoners, as well.”

US senator calls for Israel to lift its blockade on aid deliveries to Gaza

US Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen has called for an end to Israel’s blockade on food and humanitarian aid in Gaza.

“End the blockade & suffering. Release all the hostages. End the war. No more Oct 7ths. Security, dignity, human rights & self-determination for all,” Van Hollen wrote in a post on X.

The senator was replying to chef Jose Andres, founder of World Central Kitchen, a nonprofit that operates in Gaza to provide food for Palestinians, who said “food can never be used as a weapon of war”, adding a call for Israel to allow aid to enter the enclave.

It’s been 50+ days since the start of a complete blockade on food & humanitarian relief to civilians in Gaza. Jose Andres is right: End the blockade & suffering. Release all the hostages. End the war. No more Oct 7ths. Security, dignity, human rights & self-determination for all. https://t.co/JgtFEBRjYd

— Senator Chris Van Hollen (@ChrisVanHollen) April 22, 2025

Jordan’s King Abdullah warns of Israeli escalation in occupied West Bank

King Abdullah II also has reiterated his rejection of efforts to displace Palestinians from Gaza and the occupied West Bank in a meeting with US lawmakers.

According to a readout from the Jordanian Royal Court, the king “warned of the dangers of continued escalation in the West Bank and violations of holy sites in Jerusalem”.

He also “called for immediately reinstating the Gaza ceasefire and resuming aid flow”, the statement said.

Israeli forces ramp up raids and detentions across occupied West Bank

Security sources quoted by Wafa say Israeli forces have detained one person from a store in Hebron city. At the Deir Sharaf checkpoint in Nablus, Israeli forces stopped and detained a young man for several hours after detaining his brother from the Rafidia area.

Earlier, Israeli forces rounded up 25 Palestinians in multiple raids across the occupied West Bank, local sources told Wafa.

They said the forces ransacked several houses and arrested six people from Jaba, a town south of Jenin city, which has been the target of an Israeli military operation for 92 days in a row.

Rescue workers pull bodies from al-Mawasi camp after Israeli attack

At least 10 people have been killed in an Israeli bombing of a cluster of tents in al-Mawasi. The coastal area was once an Israeli-designated “safe zone”, but since Israel resumed its Gaza bombing campaign on March 18, it has not marked any areas as protected.

Day’s Israeli attacks on Gaza kill 32 people

At least 32 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza since dawn, medical sources tell Al Jazeera.


Aftermath of Israeli attack on Jabalia refugee camp


_{Palestinians inspect the site of an Israeli attack that hit machinery in the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza}

Israeli shelling targets ICU at Gaza City children’s hospital: Health Ministry

The Palestinian Health Ministry has reported that the Israeli military shelled Al-Durra Children’s Hospital in the al-Tuffah neighbourhood of Gaza City.

An Israeli air strike also targeted solar panels at the facility, the ministry said in a post on Telegram.

One person killed in Israeli attack on al-Mawasi

At least one person has been killed by Israeli live fire in al-Mawasi, southern Gaza, Wafa reported. At the same time, Israeli forces bombed a tent for displaced people in the camp, and Israeli helicopters also opened fire east of Khan Younis.

Meanwhile, heavy artillery was fired east of Maghazi camp in the central Gaza Strip. In the Shujayea neighbourhood, a quadcopter drone burned five tents housing displaced people in the Ard al-Bardini area on as-Sikka Street.

Main events on April 22nd

Gaza official warns of ‘real catastrophe’ amid suspension of polio campaign

Khalil Deqran, a spokesperson for the Gaza Health Ministry, told the Reuters news agency that “we anticipate a real catastrophe” if the polio vaccines do not arrive immediately.

“Children and patients must not be used as cards of political blackmail,” he said.

As we’ve been reporting, Israel’s blockade, which was imposed on March 2, has prevented the entry of all medical supplies into Gaza, including vaccines, halting the implementation of Phase 4 of the polio prevention campaign and leaving 602,000 children vulnerable to “permanent paralysis and chronic disabilities”.

Polio re-emerged in Gaza last year for the first time in more than 20 years, paralysing a 10-month-old child.

Since then, the UN, the Palestinian Health Ministry and other groups have carried out three rounds of vaccinations, in September and October of last year, as well as in February this year.

Several killed, wounded as Israeli forces bomb school-turned-shelter in Gaza City

Our colleagues at Al Jazeera Arabic are reporting that Israeli forces have bombed the Jaffa School in the northern city, killing and wounding a number of displaced people.

The drone attack sparked a fire at the school in the Tuffah neighbourhood, according to images published by Palestinian media.

اندلاع حريق كبير في مدرسة يافا التي تؤوي نازحين في حي التفاح بمدينة غزة بعد قصفها من قبل الاحتلال pic.twitter.com/DEBctCOE9z

— شبكة قدس الإخبارية (@qudsn) April 22, 2025

Rescuers in Gaza say they have recovered the bodies of at least 10 people, as well as “a large number” of wounded from the Jaffa School in Gaza City.

That school was sheltering displaced Palestinians.

Child burns to death after Israeli attack on Jaffa School

Our correspondent on the ground says at least one child was among the victims. The child’s body was burned beyond recognition, according to images from the scene.

“Children are being burned while they sleep in the tents of the displaced,” Al Jazeera’s Anas al-Sharif wrote. “There are no safe areas, and no survivors of this genocide. Gaza City and its northern areas have been subjected to heavy Israeli shelling and artillery fire for hours.”

هكذا يُحرَق أطفالنا وهم نيام في خيام النازحين... لا مناطق آمنة، ولا ناجين من هذه الإبادة الجماعية.
تتعرض مدينة غزة وشمالها منذ ساعات لقصف عنيف بالأحزمة النارية والقذائف المدفعية الإسرائيلية. pic.twitter.com/BdTdk5W1hp

— أنس الشريف Anas Al-Sharif (@AnasAlSharif0) April 23, 2025

Translation: This is how our children are being burned while they sleep in the tents of the displaced … There are no safe areas, and no survivors of this genocide. Gaza City and its northern areas have been subjected to heavy Israeli shelling and artillery fire for hours.

_{Aftermath of deadly Israeli attack on Jaffa School}

Those who survived have been inspecting the rubble and destruction.

“My three cousins – three children – were lost. They were pulled out, completely charred,” said wounded Palestinian Ahmed Basal. Israel resumed its military campaign in Gaza on March 18, following the collapse of a two-month ceasefire that had largely halted the fighting in the besieged Palestinian territory.

“We were asleep when suddenly we saw a light like the light of the Day of Judgement – fire everywhere. I grabbed my daughters and ran. They were injured, and their father was in the bathroom. The girls were screaming for him, and we lost each other,” said Bisan al-Kafarneh, a displaced Palestinian from Beit Hanoon seeking shelter inside the school.

“As we were fleeing, they bombed the school again. People were screaming, women were crying and searching for their relatives. I don’t know what to say, people here were burned – burned alive,” al-Kafarneh said.

Her two daughters were wounded, the woman explained, one in her back and one in her leg. But medics at al-Shifa Hospital could assist only by sterilising the wounds as there were no bandages to use.“They’re also filthy and people are lying on the ground.”

Two rescuers wounded as Israeli forces bomb Gaza home for a second time

The Palestinian Civil Defence in Gaza says two of its rescuers have been wounded in Jabalia as they were trying to evacuate the dead and wounded at the site of a previous Israeli attack.

Our colleagues on the ground are reporting that the rescuers were wounded when Israeli forces attacked the site for a second time.

A spokesperson for the civil defence told Al Jazeera Arabic that the scale of the ongoing Israeli attacks far exceeds their ability to respond to distress calls. The spokesperson also confirmed that their crews are extinguishing a fire at the Jaffa School in the Tuffah neighbourhood of Gaza City.

The statement comes amid reports of continuous and heavy Israeli attacks across the Strip.

Four Palestinians reported killed in Israeli shelling near Gaza City

The deadly Israeli strike hit residential buildings along al-Nakheel Street in the Tuffah neighbourhood east of Gaza City, our colleagues at Al Jazeera Arabic report, quoting Gaza’s civil defence.

Several people also remain missing following the strike.

Death toll in Israel’s war on Gaza rises to 51,305

Gaza’s Ministry of Health has released its daily bulletin: