Intensified Air Strikes in Gaza by Israel
In a dramatic turn of events, Israel's offensive in Gaza has stepped up a notch, with the Israeli military bombing over 150 targets in the past 24 hours – that's approximately one airstrike every ten minutes. This new wave of attacks has left at least 109 people dead, as reported by the Hamas-run health ministry, and the toll might rise as the director of Gaza City's Al Shifa hospital recently stated that more than 250 people had been killed in just the previous 36 hours.
This fresh onslaught in Jabalia, northern Gaza, is leaving a devastating impact, as this verified video confidentially obtained by our platform reveals. The situation is critical, with Gaza City's Indonesian Hospital's director, Dr Marwan al Sultan, lamenting the dire shortage of supplies, saying, "There is a shortage of everything except death."
Tragedy struck the Shehab family on Friday, as 42-year old Yahya Shehab, a nurse for the Palestine Children's Relief Fund (PCRF), was killed alongside his wife Tamara, 37, and their five children: Sarah, 18, Anas, 16, Maryam, 14, Aya, 12, and Abdul, 11. Yahya, a kind and generous man, was known for treating his niece Huda's children, Mohammed and Yusuf, whenever they were ill. Ahmad, Huda's husband, shares fond memories of Yahya and grieves for the loss of his entire family.
Israeli officials claim that these strikes are merely preparatory actions for a larger operation, code-named "Operation Gideon Chariot." This operation aims to seize control of Gaza and force its residents to move to a small enclave in the southern part of the Gaza Strip. The security cabinet approved this plan earlier this month, and it will be implemented if no hostage deal is reached by the end of the US President Donald Trump's Middle East visit, which concluded on May 16.
Initially, Hamas proposed releasing all hostages in exchange for a permanent end to the war. However, Israel only offered a temporary ceasefire in return for Hamas laying down its weapons and freeing half of the living hostages. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who is part of the security cabinet, has stated that Gaza will be "entirely destroyed," and its population will "leave in great numbers to third countries" once Operation Gideon Chariot begins.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza has become increasingly dire, with Israel preventing the entry of food, fuel, and water since March 2. This has led to a situation where one in five Gaza residents faces starvation, according to a UN-backed report.
Recently, Israel proposed a new plan to control aid distribution via private military contractors, with four aid distribution centers planned to operate by the end of May. However, the UN has denounced this move, claiming it is a "deliberate attempt to weaponize" aid distribution. These new aide hubs will reportedly be able to feed around 1.2 million people, approximately 60% of Gaza's population.
Despite the ongoing conflict, talks between Hamas and Israel are reportedly ongoing, with the aim of achieving a ceasefire. However, the fate of Gaza, its residents, and the hostages remains uncertain.
- The escalation in war-and-conflicts, specifically the ongoing war in Gaza, has resulted in a significant escalation of hostilities, as demonstrated by the Israeli military's bombing of over 150 targets in the past 24 hours.
- Amidst the worsening political climate and general news headlines regarding the crisis in Gaza, Israeli officials' plans for Operation Gideon Chariot, aimed at seizing control of Gaza, have been met with concern from humanitarian organizations due to potential repercussions on the already dire humanitarian situation.
