At least 72 people have been killed in Israeli military operations across the Gaza Strip in the past day, hospital officials in the besieged area said, but the final death toll remains uncertain due to communication failures in northern Gaza. There is a possibility that there will be more.
An airstrike early Friday killed 38 people in the central town of Khan Younis, including at least 13 children from the same family, according to hospital records. Relatives placed the injured and broken body in the morgue of the nearby European Hospital and buried it. In some cases, the bodies of several children were covered and buried.
Other survivors searched for clothes, documents and other belongings among the rubble of the strike that hit the Manara district. Saleh al-Fala, who lost his 17-year-old brother and 15-year-old sister in the attack, recalled his family trying to move to the center of the building for safety before the direct hit caused the building to collapse. spoke. I fainted.
“I kept screaming until my brother and father came and they started trying to take me out. I didn’t know anyone or anything,” he told The Associated Press.
The Israeli military said in a statement that it had killed Palestinian militants in airstrikes and ground strikes in the area.
Meanwhile, in northern Gaza, where Israel launched a fierce new offensive on October 6 that critics say is aimed at forcibly displacing the remaining population, internet and phone services have been disrupted. Due to a power outage, it is unclear what happened during the reported nighttime Israeli airstrike in the area. Houses in Jabaliya refugee camp.
In a statement Friday, U.N. human rights chief Volker Türk said he believed the “darkest moments” of the war were unfolding in northern Gaza, “where Israeli forces are effectively “We are bombing, besieging and endangering entire populations.” hunger”.
‘Darkest moments’ of Israel’s war in Gaza are unfolding in the north, UN human rights chief says – video
“The situation is unimaginably deteriorating day by day…We are faced with a situation that could amount to atrocious crimes, including potentially crimes against humanity,” he said of the offensive. I’m doing it,” he said.
In a video posted on social media late Thursday, Al Jazeera reporter Anas al-Sharif from Jabaliya said a total of 150 people were killed or injured in the massive airstrike that destroyed 11 buildings, but officials said few It’s not out. Health officials blamed the attack on Israeli ground forces and communications failures.
The Civil Defense Agency said on Thursday that Israel had been forced to suspend operations in the area after targeting crew members and vehicles, and the Jabaliyah camp is believed to be under full siege by Israeli ground forces.
Families unzip the body bags of children killed in an Israeli airstrike at a mortuary in Khan Younis. Photo: Associated Press
“There is no civil defense, no journalists, no coverage, only death and destruction…The injured died without ambulances or hospitals. No one but God could hear or see them,” Sharif said. wrote.
Civil defense spokesman Mahmoud Bassal also said the death toll was believed to reach 150. There was no immediate comment from the Israel Defense Forces.
The three remaining hospitals in northern Gaza are struggling to cope due to Israel’s near-total blockade of aid supplies and medical equipment. On Friday, the Israeli military said it had raided Kamal Adwan Hospital after receiving information that Hamas was active in the area.
It also said it had evacuated some patients and delivered fuel and supplies to the facility, although there were contradictory reports that the World Health Organization was responsible for the delivery.
The hospital’s director, Dr. Hassam Abu Safiyah, said in a social media video Thursday night that several patients have already died due to a lack of antibiotics and other supplies and medicine, and one doctor was killed in shelling on his way to work. He said he did. Wednesday.
The facility is estimated to have around 200 patients, according to the WHO.
“There are only a few hours left until the death of all these people,” Abu Safiyah said. “How long will it last? Instead of receiving aid, we will receive tanks.”
On Friday, the WHO said it had lost contact with hospital staff.
Prime Minister Turk called on world leaders to respond to the situation in Gaza, stressing that all states have a responsibility to ensure respect for international humanitarian law under the Geneva Conventions.
“For months, I have urged all parties to the conflict and all countries to stop the genocide and destruction, to ensure the prompt and unconditional release of all hostages, and to ensure that international humanitarian law and international human rights law are met. “I have called on them to take action to ensure that they are respected.” “But this is still going on for a long time.”
International efforts to broker a cease-fire in the year-long Israel-Gaza war sparked by an Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack are expected to resume next week, but officials say they have no hope of bringing peace. It said a short-term ceasefire of 12 days was being discussed, rather than a permanent ceasefire as intended. Conflict to the end.
