Israel Targets Gaza Refugee Camp, 51 Killed and Many Severely Injured
In the latest development of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine, Palestinian media has reported that the Israeli military targeted a refugee camp in Gaza, resulting in the death of 51 people, the majority of whom were women and children. The attack on the Maghazi refugee camp took place on Saturday night, according to the Palestinian news agency WAFA. However, Reuters was unable to independently verify this report, and the Israeli military has not provided an immediate comment.
Israel has consistently maintained that its attacks are aimed at targeting Hamas and not civilians. The country accuses the militant group of using residents as human shields. Hamas, on the other hand, claims that Israel’s actions are war crimes and has called for immediate international intervention.
As the death toll in Gaza continues to rise, demonstrations in support of the Palestinian cause have been taking place worldwide. Pro-Palestinian protesters gathered in cities such as London, Berlin, Paris, Istanbul, Jakarta, and Washington on Saturday, demanding an end to the nearly month-long conflict. In Washington, demonstrators denounced President Joe Biden’s war policy and called for a ceasefire, carrying signs reading “Palestinian Lives Matter” and “Let Gaza Live.”
In response to calls for a ceasefire by Arab foreign ministers, the United States and Israel have rejected the proposal. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with foreign ministers from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, and the United Arab Emirates in Amman on Saturday. While the Arab ministers urged Washington to persuade Israel to agree to a ceasefire, Blinken expressed concern that a cessation of hostilities would only allow Hamas to regroup and strike again.
The United States had previously proposed localised pauses in the fighting to allow for the delivery of humanitarian aid and the evacuation of residents from the densely populated Gaza Strip. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected this proposal during his meeting with Blinken in Tel Aviv on Friday.
As the conflict persists, there is growing concern over the rising violence in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The deteriorating situation has prompted worries that the area may become a third front in the wider war. Blinken expressed his concern about the violence during his meetings in Israel and stressed the need for accountability for the perpetrators.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza has worsened as a result of the conflict. Living conditions in the region were already dire prior to the war, but they have deteriorated even further. Residents are facing food shortages, resorting to drinking salty water, and medical services are collapsing. The UN estimates that nearly 1.5 million out of Gaza’s 2.3 million population have been internally displaced.
US special envoy David Satterfield, who is also in Amman, stated that a significant number of people have moved to the south of the Gaza Strip, while hundreds of thousands remain in and around Gaza City. The Israeli military has encircled the city and has engaged in intense street fighting with Hamas militants.
The conflict, now in its fourth week, shows no signs of abating, and the international community continues to express concerns over the escalating violence and its impact on civilians. Efforts to broker a ceasefire and alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza are ongoing, with US special envoy David Satterfield expected to visit Turkey on Sunday for further talks on the conflict.