Escalating Conflict in Gaza: Airstrikes and Humanitarian Crisis
The situation in the Gaza Strip continues to deteriorate as Israeli airstrikes and artillery shelling escalate, resulting in tragic loss of life and widespread displacement. On Monday, eight Palestinians were killed in an Israeli airstrike targeting a school and a residential house in central Gaza. The Civil Defense reported that a mother and her four children were among the victims of a shelling that struck the Al-Samak family home in Deir al-Balah. Additionally, three members of a family—a husband, wife, and their daughter—were killed in an attack on Khaled bin Al-Walid School in Al-Nuseirat camp, with many others suffering injuries.
The ongoing violence has been compounded by a series of drone strikes, particularly in areas like Khuza'a, east of Khan Yunis, where children were reported among the injured. The bombardment has also involved concentrated artillery strikes along the Netzarim axis in central Gaza, exacerbating the already dire humanitarian situation.
Since the onset of hostilities on October 7, the Israeli military has targeted 183 displacement and shelter centers across the Gaza Strip, according to reports from the government media office. The relentless bombing campaigns have forced many Palestinians to evacuate their homes, seeking refuge in schools, relatives' homes, or makeshift tents in the streets, all under harsh conditions lacking adequate water, food, and sanitation. The humanitarian crisis is further intensified by the spread of diseases in overcrowded shelters.
The scale of displacement is staggering, with the number of internally displaced people reaching two million out of a total population of 2.3 million in Gaza. The conflict, which has been supported by the United States, has resulted in over 137,000 casualties, including a significant number of children and women, and left more than 10,000 individuals missing amid widespread destruction and a looming famine.
