Israeli air strikes have yet again hit residential areas, schools and public buildings across Gaza. A family of four has been killed in the Abasan al-Kabira area of Khan Yunis. An Israeli strike on an UNRWA school in Nuseirat, which Israel claims was used by Hamas, has resulted in 16 deaths. A further strike on a shelter in the an-Nuseirat refugee camp has killed 23 civilians and injured 48 others.
The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) have targeted infrastructure including the Khan Yunis municipality building. Several residential buildings in Gaza City were also hit, adding to the destruction and civilian casualties.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate. Hospitals are running out of fuel and displacement is increasing as families seek refuge in overcrowded shelters. Israeli strikes on these shelters have exacerbated the crisis, affecting many families.
Associated Press reports that at least 500 health workers have been killed in Gaza since October, including several specialist doctors. These include a plastic surgeon specialising in wound care, a reconstructive surgeon, an obstetrician/gynaecologist, an orthopaedic surgeon, a fertility doctor and Gaza’s only liver transplant doctor. Among them was Hassan Hamdan, a plastic surgeon who came out of retirement to help during the war and was killed along with 12 members of his family.
The ongoing conflict in Gaza has reached a critical point, with high civilian casualties and widespread destruction. International mediation efforts continue, but the path to a durable ceasefire remains uncertain. The worsening humanitarian crisis calls for urgent international intervention and support to alleviate the suffering of the people of Gaza.
Despite international calls for peace, the conflict continues. Palestinian militants have continued to engage Israeli forces, particularly in Rafah and the Netzarim corridor. The IDF has reported killing over 30 Palestinian fighters in Rafah during recent engagements and air strikes. It has also stated its intention to continue operations to prevent Hamas from reconstituting its forces, saying this may necessitate the re-invasion of key areas such as Shejaiya.
An MP from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party has spoken out against any government move to withdraw Israeli troops from the Gaza-Egypt border, known as the Philadelphi Corridor, according to Middle East Eye. “Simply put, if we’re not in the Philadelphi Corridor, we’re not in the State of Israel,” said Likud parliamentarian Moshe Saada, describing the border strip as Hamas’s “oxygen tube”.
In a meeting chaired by Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, the Saudi Council of Ministers condemned the ongoing violence against Palestinians, calling for an immediate and lasting ceasefire and the protection of civilians. They also stressed the need for international accountability for violations of humanitarian law.
