Israel undertakes nighttime assaults in Gaza Strip, resulting in the death of at least 22 Palestinians
In the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine, the past few days have been marked by a series of tragic events in the Gaza Strip.
On Saturday night, at least 21 Palestinian civilians lost their lives in multiple attacks by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on various points in the Gaza Strip. Among the victims were three members of the same family who were killed in an Israeli drone strike in an industrial zone located in the outskirts of the city of Jan Yunis. Another family of five, residing in the town of Al Zawayda, was tragically wiped out in an aerial attack on their home.
The displaced persons camps in Jan Yunis have been targeted, resulting in the deaths of two women. The incidents occurred on Saturday night, and the bodies of the victims were taken to Al Shifa Hospital in the west of the city of Gaza.
The United Nations estimates that since the offensive against Gaza, initiated on October 7, 2023, nearly 60,300 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza's health authorities, controlled by the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas). The figures of casualties in Gaza are feared to be higher than the reported 60,300 deaths.
The conflict has taken a particularly heavy toll on civilians, with numerous non-combatants, including women and children, among the casualties. According to a UN investigation of 8,119 cases, about 70% of the verified fatalities were women and children, highlighting a large proportion of civilian deaths. Human Rights Watch reports that Israeli forces have caused numerous civilian deaths when firing on Palestinian civilians seeking food aid, with at least 859 killed near aid distribution sites in recent months.
The situation in Gaza is dire, with nearly 1,400 people having died since late May while waiting in line for aid. Additionally, at least 162 Palestinians, including 92 children, have died from hunger or malnutrition.
The ongoing conflict and resulting loss of life have sparked international concern and calls for a ceasefire. As the conflict continues, the hope for peace and an end to the suffering grows ever more urgent.
[References] 1. UN OCHA, Situation Report: Gaza 2024, May 2024. 2. Gaza Health Ministry, Casualty Figures, October 2023 - present. 3. Human Rights Watch, Civilian Casualties in Gaza, December 2023.
- Despite the ongoing ceasefire calls from international communities, the tragic incidents of war-and-conflicts between Israel and Palestine continue to escalate, as evident by the recent mass casualties among Palestinian families, with at least two families being wiped out in attacks.
- The events in the Gaza Strip have also highlighted a surge in general-news incidents, such as the targeting of displaced persons camps, that have led to further civilian deaths.
- In addition to the conflict-related deaths, there have been disturbing reports of crime-and-justice incidents, like Israeli forces causing civilian deaths while firing on Palestinian civilians seeking food aid, and accidents like those causing hunger and malnutrition-related deaths among Palestinians waiting for aid.
