An Israeli airstrike struck the Al-Baqa café near the port in Gaza City on Monday, killing at least 41 people and injuring around 75, according to Dr. Mohammad Abu Silmiya, director of Al-Shifa Hospital, the largest medical facility in the territory. The café, a popular spot for students, journalists, and remote workers seeking internet access by the Mediterranean coast, was crowded at the time of the attack.
Footage from the scene showed dense smoke rising from the heavily damaged café, with bodies being carried away on stretchers. Dr. Silmiya reported that most of the victims were women and children, including many students who had gathered there for internet connectivity. The hospital is currently overwhelmed, facing shortages of ICU beds and anesthetics, forcing medical staff to treat the injured on the hospital floor due to lack of space.
Among the dead was freelance journalist Ismail Abu Hatab, whose death brought the number of journalists killed in Gaza by Israeli military actions since October 2023 to 228, according to the Hamas-controlled Government Media Office.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated they are investigating the circumstances surrounding the strike. The attack occurred amid a broader escalation of Israeli airstrikes across Gaza, intensifying the humanitarian crisis in the region.
The strike has drawn widespread condemnation, with Hamas accusing Israel of committing war crimes and calling on the international community to intervene and halt what it describes as a systematic campaign against civilians. The situation remains dire as hospitals struggle to cope with the influx of casualties and the ongoing conflict shows no signs of abating.