Summary
- Israeli attacks kill at least 39 in Gaza Saturday.
- Gaza civil defence issues grave warning.
- Intensifying strikes target Gaza City neighbourhood.
- Remaining residents face mortal danger.
- Civilian casualties escalate amid ongoing conflict.
After 22 months of war that have left
humanitarian situations in ruins, the most recent death toll was announced more
than a week after Israel's security council approved plans to seize the largest
city in the Palestinian territory.
Conditions in the Zeitun neighborhood of Gaza City are fast worsening, according to civil defense spokesperson Mahmud Bassal,
with inhabitants having little to no access to food and water due to intense
Israeli shelling.
According to him, there are an estimated 50,000
people living in that part of Gaza City, "the majority of whom are without
food or water" and "the basic necessities of life."
While Palestinian group Hamas condemned
“aggressive” Israeli ground incursions earlier this week, residents of Gaza
City have told AFP of increased airstrikes hitting civilian areas, notably
Zeitun, in recent days.
Bassal believed that Israel was committing
"ethnic cleansing" in Zeitun.
The military maintains that it follows
international law, and Israeli officials have previously denied similar
charges.
In a statement, the military questioned the
accuracy of the fatality figures provided by the civil defense agency and
stated that it is "committed to mitigating civilian harm during
operational activity, in strict accordance with international law."
Beginning on Sunday, the military will provide additional tents and shelter supplies in advance of the offensive, according to COGAT, the Israeli defense ministry organization in charge of civil affairs in the Palestinian territories.
“As part of the preparations to move the population from combat zones to the southern Gaza Strip for their protection, the supply of tents and shelter equipment to Gaza will resume,”
it said in a
statement.
The Israeli plan to expand the war has sparked
an international outcry as well as domestic opposition.
According to an AFP count based on official
estimates, the October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel, which claimed 1,219 lives,
set off the conflict.
According to the United Nations-reliable health ministry estimates in Hamas-run Gaza, Israel's offensive has killed around 61,000 Palestinians.
How are the ongoing attacks impacting Gaza's civilian population and aid access?
Thousands of civilians have been killed or
injured, with entire neighbourhoods reduced to rubble. Many families are
displaced, living in overcrowded tents and makeshift shelters lacking basic
services. The intensity of the strikes forces constant evacuation and disrupts
any sense of safety.
Hospitals and clinics face critical shortages of
medical supplies, food, fuel, water, and electricity. Many medical facilities
are damaged or overwhelmed by casualties. Healthcare workers struggle to provide
emergency care amid rising malnutrition and disease outbreaks.
Gaza faces a critical risk of famine, with
nearly half a million people at risk of starvation.