At least 10 Palestinians were killed and several others were injured when Israeli strikes targeted an UN school and some residential buildings in Khan Younis in southern Gaza on early morning Friday, December 15, Wafa News Agency reported.
The UN refugee agency, UNRWA, has converted most of its schools in the besieged Palestinian territory as shelter camps for displaced people. Almost 80% of Gaza’s total population of 2.2 million is displaced due to Israel’s indiscriminate bombings and ground offensive.
Dozens of Palestinians were also killed in Israeli ground offensive in Rafah in southern Gaza where most of the displaced Palestinians are taking shelter.
Friday marks the 70th day since Israel started the war on Gaza on October 7. Over 19,000 Palestinians have been killed so far and over 54,000 people have been injured. Among the dead, nearly 18,800 deaths were reported in Gaza and at least 289 in the occupied West Bank. Most of the Palestinians killed are children, women and elderly.
The Israeli attacks on northern Israel’s Kamal Adwan school continued on the third day with more than 2,500 people who had taken shelter there were forced out. On Thursday, Israel had kidnapped 70 of its medical staff and caused the death of two injured Palestinians after preventing the medical staff from administering required treatment.
Israeli occupation forces also continued their aggression inside the occupied West Bank on Thursday and Friday. It bombed a refugee camp in Nablus moments after it announced the conclusion of its three days long raid on Jenin refugees camp, where at least 12 Palestinians were killed and over 500 were arrested. The renowned Freedom Theater in the Jenin Refugee Camp was also attacked by Israeli forces, who later arrested three of its members.
According to the reports, Israeli forces destroyed roads and other civic infrastructure in the camp and defiled the religious places on Thursday.
The UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has written a report which is yet to be published demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. The report addressed to the UN Security Council says that, “the scope of death and destruction in Gaza (caused by the Israeli war) has been unprecedented and unbearable.”
The international aid agencies continue to express concern about the growing humanitarian situation in Gaza. According to the founder of the Palestinian Children Relief Fund, Steve Sosebee, Palestinian children are now dying of hunger.
The OCHA expressed apprehensions on Thursday about the possibility of spread of diseases in the overcrowded camps for displaced Palestinians due to lack of sanitation and solid waste management amidst the heavy rain.
Meanwhile, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant during his meeting with White House National Security Advisor Jack Sullivan claimed that the war in Gaza will continue for a few more months despite the pressure created by the world community for an immediate ceasefire.
The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution with over two-third majority demanding immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza and release of all hostages on Tuesday.
Israel does not only deny the possibility of a ceasefire in Gaza but its officials have been giving contradictory statements related to post-war status of the Palestinian territory. On Wednesday, one of the Israeli ministers said Israeli settlements can be built inside Gaza.
On Thursday, Israeli President Issac Herzog claimed that there cannot be any talks of a “two-state solution” with Palestinians now.
