In the early hours of Thursday, the Israeli Air Force conducted an airstrike on a United Nations school in the Nousseirat region of the Gaza Strip, claiming it was targeting a Hamas base hidden within the premises. According to official reports from the Israeli army, the strike aimed at Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists who had participated in the October 7th attack on southern Israeli communities. The resulting attack has resulted in at least 30 fatalities, according to Hamas sources, and many more injured.
The Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah, a neighboring town, reported a massive influx of casualties following the attack, compounding existing crises like the failure of one of its electrical generators. Medical staff describe chaotic scenes with injured individuals lying on the ground, both inside and outside hospital grounds, and bodies transported in plastic bags. Médecins Sans Frontières has flagged the situation as a potential 'humanitarian catastrophe', noting over 70 deaths and more than 300 injuries since Tuesday due to ongoing Israeli strikes in central Gaza.
The Palestinian media office of Hamas labeled the strike as a 'horrible massacre', rejecting the Israeli army's claims that the UN school sheltered a Hamas command post. According to Ismail Al-Thawabta, director of the Hamas government press office, these allegations are fabricated to justify violent acts against displaced individuals sheltering in the school.
In the middle of mediation efforts led by the United States, Egypt, and Qatar, Israel stands firm in continuing its military operations irrespective of ceasefire negotiations. Washington has been waiting on a response from Hamas concerning a proposed peace plan described by President Joe Biden, which seeks a six-week ceasefire and negotiations around the release of hostages and prisoners.
Compounding the humanitarian emergency, a famine is reported to be looming in Northern Gaza. According to the Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET), food consumption, acute malnutrition, and mortality thresholds indicative of famine have likely been met. The United Nations World Food Program and other organizations have flagged northern Gaza's plight as a 'full-blown famine,' cautioning that the dire situation will worsen if immediate cessation of hostilities and restoration of aid are not achieved.
On the international stage, multiple human rights organizations have raised concerns about the reported use of torture in Israeli detention centers and the overall treatment of Palestinians detained without trial. As the diplomatic community grapples with navigating a peace process, insider reports indicate discontent within Israeli leadership and warnings from the U.S. State Department about a potential escalation.
- The conflict has also invited criticism over a recent award granted by the Normandy region to Palestinian photojournalist Motaz Azaiza. While honored with the 2024 Freedom Prize for his contributions to press freedom, several European parliamentarians have called for the revocation of the honor, accusing Azaiza of spreading anti-Israel propaganda and refusing to condemn acts of terrorism.
- Sanitary conditions in refugee areas have reached 'appalling' levels as reported by Oxfam, citing conditions where on average one toilet serves 4,000 people. The NGO warned that the dire living conditions in Al-Mawasi, coupled with an obstructed humanitarian response, are exacerbating the risk of a full-blown famine in Gaza.
