Women and children among 50 killed in Israeli strikes on safe zone in Gaza
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The deaths, including numerous women and children, in Gaza on Tuesday caused by Israeli strikes, including on a shelter for displaced people considered to be a safe zone, rose to 50, bringing the overall death toll of Palestinians in Gaza to nearly 46,000 since the onset of the war in October 2023.
Among the dead were five children who perished in Israeli airstrikes on tents sheltering displaced individuals in al-Mawasi, a coastal area in southern Gaza that had been designated a "humanitarian safe zone" by the Israeli military. Despite this designation, the area has come under repeated attack from Israeli forces, who allege, without providing evidence, that they are targeting Hamas operatives, Al Jazeera reported.
Gaza’s Ministry of Health has reported that Israeli forces carried out three major assaults on Palestinian families within a 24-hour period, resulting in 31 deaths and 57 injuries. The overall toll from Israeli operations has now reached 45,885 fatalities and more than 109,000 injuries since the conflict began on October 7, 2023.
The humanitarian impact of the conflict is dire. Hospitals are overwhelmed with casualties, as illustrated by Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, which received the bodies of several children and women killed in the al-Mawasi strikes. The hospital reported additional casualties from strikes on vehicles and residential houses in the area. Bodies have filled the morgue, with some victims being unidentifiable due to the severity of their injuries.
The situation in Gaza is further exacerbated by Israel's continued strikes on humanitarian aid convoys and the hijacking of fuel tankers by criminal gangs. These actions have severely disrupted the delivery of essential supplies, placing an immense strain on Gaza’s healthcare system. The European Hospital in Khan Younis has warned of an imminent fuel shortage that could force it to cease operations within 24 hours. Similarly, Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir el-Balah faces potential shutdowns due to fuel scarcity.
The United Nations has expressed grave concern over the deteriorating humanitarian conditions. The UN’s emergency relief coordinator highlighted the dangerous environment for aid workers, who are increasingly targeted by Israeli military actions and local criminal elements. A recent attack on a food distribution point operated by the World Food Programme resulted in injuries to aid workers, and UN convoys have come under direct fire.
This troubling pattern of sabotage and disruption has made it perilous for aid workers to carry out their missions. The international community is alarmed by the vilification of humanitarian efforts and the deliberate attacks on those providing aid.