Deadly, Sombre Good Friday: 58 Killed in Israeli Attacks on Gaza
“BLOOD ON GOOD FRIDAY”
Gaza City, April 18, 2025 — In what should have been a day of solemn reflection and peace, Good Friday turned into a blood-soaked nightmare for the people of Gaza. At least 58 Palestinians were killed and dozens more wounded in a series of relentless Israeli airstrikes across the besieged territory, marking one of the deadliest single-day escalations in recent weeks.
The attacks occurred amid ongoing conflict between Israeli forces and Hamas, and they struck densely populated civilian areas, including refugee camps, residential neighborhoods, and public infrastructure. As Christians around the world marked the crucifixion of Jesus Christ—a day symbolizing sacrifice and redemption—families in Gaza were burying their loved ones, many of whom were children.
There were a lot of deaths in hospitals, which were already struggling to keep up with demand due to electricity, fuel, and medicine shortages. The situation was described as catastrophic by medical personnel, some of whom had not left their positions in days. Dr. stated, "We definitely don't have enough time," "we don't have enough beds," and "we don't have enough staff." Reem Al-Khatib, a physician at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. “We are trying to treat people on the floors.”
Scenes of pure horror were described by eyewitness accounts. Whole buildings collapsed in Rafah, a southern city near the Egyptian border. Civilians searched through rubble with bare hands, hoping to find survivors. Ahmad Darwish, a 27-year-old witness, described the terrifying moment the neighbor's house was struck. “It was like Judgment Day,” he said. “We pulled out children’s bodies, unrecognizable, and still warm.”
According to the Israeli military, the strikes were launched in response to rocket fire and aimed at critical Hamas infrastructure and personnel. A statement from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claimed several high-ranking Hamas figures were among the dead. However, the high civilian death toll has sparked outrage internationally, with many calling the strikes indiscriminate and disproportionate.
Human rights organizations and UN officials have condemned the escalation. “The loss of civilian life on this scale is unacceptable,” said Tor Wennesland, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process. “We call for an immediate cessation of hostilities and a return to dialogue. Gaza cannot afford to continue this cycle of destruction. This latest violence comes amid an already fragile humanitarian situation in Gaza, where more than two million people live under a blockade imposed by Israel and Egypt since 2007. Food, water, electricity, and medicine are scarce. There is no safe haven for the people of Gaza, and they are physically and politically imprisoned. What makes this attack even more tragic is its timing. It coincided not only with Good Friday but also with the holy month of Ramadan, a time of spiritual reflection for Muslims. The dual observances of Good Friday and Ramadan were meant to bring communities together in peace. Instead, they became a symbol of shared grief and suffering.
Churches in Bethlehem, Jerusalem, and across the West Bank held candlelight vigils for the victims. Religious leaders, both Christian and Muslim, called for unity and an end to the bloodshed. “This land is sacred to us all,” said Father Elias Mansour, a priest in Ramallah. “And yet, we are spilling blood on its soil. Where exactly is the law? Where exactly is humanity? As the sun set on Good Friday, the skies over Gaza were still lit by the orange glow of fire and smoke. The streets were filled not with celebration or prayer but with mourning and the cries of the bereaved.
This Good Friday was not a day of hope or reflection for the people of Gaza. A day of terror, loss, and sorrow. And unless urgent international action is taken to de-escalate the violence, it may not be the last.
About the Creator
Keep reading
More stories from Rezwan Al Shahriar and writers in History and other communities.
Chinese Robots Run Against Humans in World’s First Humanoid Half-Marathon — and Lose by a Mile
In a historic event that merged athleticism with cutting-edge robotics, the world witnessed the first-ever humanoid half-marathon held in China, where a group of humanoid robots competed against human runners in a 21.1-kilometer race. The futuristic contest, which was put on by a group of top Chinese universities and robotics companies and took place in Beijing, was meant to show off new developments in artificial intelligence and humanoid robotics. While the robots captivated spectators with their mechanical strides and uncanny resemblance to human motion, the final results confirmed what many had suspected: robots are still far from outrunning their creators. Despite months of preparation, advanced programming, and highly engineered designs, none of the robots came close to challenging the human athletes, finishing the race several hours behind the top runners—or dropping out entirely due to technical malfunctions.
By Rezwan Al Shahriar9 months ago in Journal
The Last Door
The Last Door In the oldest part of the city, there stood a building people whispered about. It was said to exist outside of time. Its walls were cracked, its stairs creaked with every step, and its hallway stretched endlessly with rows of doors. Each door was different—painted in strange colors, echoing with faint sounds. But at the very end stood one door that was plain, colorless, and silent.
By Premier Local Media,a day ago in History
Aristotle: The Mind That Shaped Human Knowledge
Aristotle was born in 384 BCE in the small Greek town of Stagira, in northern Macedonia. His life unfolded during a time of political change, intellectual awakening, and cultural expansion across the Greek world. Though more than two thousand years have passed since his death, Aristotle’s ideas continue to influence philosophy, science, politics, ethics, education, and even everyday thinking. His story is not a legend built on myths, but the true journey of a curious mind that sought to understand everything—from the smallest living creature to the highest purpose of human life. Aristotle’s father, Nicomachus, was a physician to King Amyntas III of Macedon. Because of this, Aristotle grew up in an environment where observation, biology, and the study of nature were part of daily life. From an early age, he was exposed to the idea that the natural world could be studied systematically, not just explained through myths or religious stories. This early influence played a major role in shaping his later approach to knowledge. At around the age of seventeen, Aristotle traveled to Athens, the intellectual center of the Greek world, to study at Plato’s Academy. Plato was already famous as the student of Socrates and one of the greatest philosophers of his time. Aristotle remained at the Academy for nearly twenty years. Although he deeply respected Plato, he did not agree with all of his ideas. Plato believed that true reality existed in a world of perfect, unchanging “Forms,” while the physical world was only an imperfect reflection. Aristotle, however, believed that knowledge begins with observing the physical world itself. This difference would later define Aristotle’s unique philosophy. Despite their disagreements, Aristotle and Plato shared a strong teacher-student bond. Aristotle learned logic, ethics, metaphysics, and political theory at the Academy. Over time, however, his independent thinking became more noticeable. After Plato’s death in 347 BCE, Aristotle left Athens. Some historians believe this was partly because the Academy was now led by Plato’s nephew and partly because anti-Macedonian feelings were growing in Athens, which made life difficult for someone connected to Macedonia. Aristotle then spent several years traveling and studying. He lived in Asia Minor and later on the island of Lesbos, where he conducted detailed research on marine life. During this period, he carefully observed animals, plants, and natural processes. Unlike many thinkers before him, Aristotle did not rely only on abstract reasoning. He dissected animals, recorded their structures, and classified them based on shared characteristics. This work laid the foundation for biology and zoology as scientific disciplines. In 343 BCE, Aristotle’s life took a dramatic turn when he was invited by King Philip II of Macedon to tutor his young son, Alexander. This boy would later become Alexander the Great. Aristotle taught Alexander philosophy, ethics, politics, literature, and science. He introduced him to the works of Homer and emphasized the importance of reason and self-control. While Alexander would go on to become a military conqueror, Aristotle hoped his student would also rule with wisdom and justice. Though historians debate how much influence Aristotle truly had on Alexander’s actions, there is no doubt that their relationship connected philosophy with world-changing power. After Alexander became king, Aristotle returned to Athens around 335 BCE and founded his own school, the Lyceum. Unlike Plato’s Academy, the Lyceum focused heavily on empirical research and systematic study. Aristotle and his students walked while discussing ideas, which is why his followers were called the “Peripatetics,” meaning “those who walk about.” At the Lyceum, Aristotle organized research across many fields, creating one of the earliest models of a research institution. Aristotle wrote extensively, though most of his popular writings have been lost. What remains are mainly lecture notes and technical works. These texts cover an astonishing range of subjects: logic, physics, metaphysics, ethics, politics, rhetoric, poetry, biology, astronomy, and psychology. In logic, Aristotle developed the system of syllogisms, a method of reasoning that dominated logical thought for centuries. In ethics, his work Nicomachean Ethics explored the idea of virtue as a balance between extremes and argued that the goal of human life is eudaimonia, often translated as “flourishing” or “well-being.” In politics, Aristotle studied different forms of government, analyzing monarchies, aristocracies, and democracies. He believed that the best political system depended on the character and needs of the people, not on a single perfect model. He famously described humans as “political animals,” meaning that living in a community is essential to human nature. Despite his achievements, Aristotle’s later years were marked by difficulty. After Alexander the Great died in 323 BCE, anti-Macedonian sentiment rose sharply in Athens. Aristotle was accused of impiety, a charge similar to the one that had led to Socrates’ execution. Refusing to face trial, Aristotle left Athens, saying he would not allow the city to “sin twice against philosophy.” He retreated to Chalcis, where he died in 322 BCE at the age of sixty-two. Aristotle’s death did not end his influence. In fact, his ideas grew stronger over time. His works were preserved by scholars in the Islamic world during the Middle Ages and later reintroduced to Europe. Thinkers such as Avicenna, Averroes, and Thomas Aquinas studied and expanded upon Aristotle’s philosophy. For centuries, Aristotle was known simply as “The Philosopher,” a title that reflected his unmatched authority in many fields. The true story of Aristotle is not just about a man who lived long ago. It is the story of a thinker who believed that the world could be understood through careful observation, logical reasoning, and thoughtful reflection. He taught humanity to ask not only what things are, but why they are. In doing so, Aristotle shaped the foundations of Western thought and left a legacy that continues to guide minds across the world.
By The best writer 2 days ago in History
The Path to Salvation
The late autumn evening air filled the monk's lungs, but it wasn't the season that chilled his bones. The heavy-handed presence of evil he had sensed upon entering the woods surrounding this mountain village had not bothered to conceal itself from him.
By Made in DNAa day ago in Fiction
Comments
There are no comments for this story
Be the first to respond and start the conversation.