Israel Unleashes Barrage of Airstrikes on Gaza, Killing Dozens
Israel launched a devastating series of airstrikes across Gaza on Saturday, killing dozens of people and sending hundreds of wounded to overwhelmed hospitals, according to health authorities in Gaza. These attacks came just a day after the United States vetoed a U.N. Security Council resolution for an immediate cease-fire.
Severe airstrikes targeted the southern Gaza Strip, where Israeli military directed civilians to go to avoid bombardment, confirming the absence of safe havens to seek shelter in Gaza.
[[Some disturbing graphic content was captured by videos taken by Reuters from the village of Khan Younis, showing buildings being engulfed in flames following Israeli strikes. Local media footage depicted rescuers and civilians digging individuals out from rubble using their hands and the light from flashlights and cell phones. Other distressing visuals included patients being treated on bloody hospital floors.
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres urged for a cease-fire in response to the deteriorating situation for ordinary Palestinians in Gaza, which also poses a serious threat to global stability. However, the U.N. Security Council’s vote for an immediate cease-fire was vetoed by the United States on Friday, stating that Israel has the right to defend itself against Hamas attacks. This was after Israel initiated a military onslaught on Gaza following an October 7 attack by Hamas, which resulted in over 1,200 casualties and 240 individuals taken hostage, according to Israeli sources.
The military campaign is labeled as a profoundly disproportionate response to the October 7 incident by Palestinian leaders and several Arab nations. The aftermath of America’s veto on the cease-fire resolution shocked many Gazans, who were hopeful that the airstrikes and their suffering might come to an end.]]
Muhammad al-Masri, a local journalist in Rafah, expressed that people were optimistic for an end to the war following the U.N. Security Council’s involvement. With the latest developments, he now resides in a mud encampment where he witnessed Israeli rockets being fired near the shelter, claiming multiple lives and causing further injuries.
Throughout Gaza, there is a shortage of resources including food and blankets, and the winter rains have flooded the available shelters, making living conditions dire for many displaced individuals. Thousands, including Ahmed al-Qayed, a 31-year-old carpenter, voiced their plea to the U.N. and the U.S., seeking resolution to the ongoing conflict so they can return to their homes in Gaza City.
The war has led to the displacement of about 85% of Gaza’s population of over 2 million Palestinians, with most of them seeking refuge in crowded schools, tent encampments, and other public buildings. As winter sets in, the situation is growing increasingly bleak, with U.N. officials struggling to provide essential goods to civilians in desperate need of food, medicine, and cooking gas.
As the conflict in Gaza rages on, the plea for immediate assistance and intervention grows more urgent by the day. Meanwhile, hopeful voices continue to search for an end to the war and the suffering.
(A report by Rawan Sheikh Ahmad – Contributor, King Abdulrahim and Iyad Abuheweila)