76 members of one family killed by Israeli strike
On Saturday, rescue officials reported that an extended family lost 76 members in an Israeli airstrike, a grim aftermath of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war’s 12th week. The strike in Gaza City on Friday, targeting a building, was one of the deadliest, with 16 heads of households from the al-Mughrabi family among the casualties. Mahmoud Bassal, a spokesman for Gaza’s Civil Defense department, revealed the partial list of victims, including women and children.
Among those killed were Issam al-Mughrabi, a longtime employee of the U.N. Development Program, his wife, and their five children. Israel initiated the conflict after Hamas militants breached the border on Oct. 7, resulting in casualties and hostages. Israel aims to continue until Hamas is dismantled, and all hostages are freed.
First resolution passed without any halt
Gaza, ruled by Hamas for the past 16 years, has faced severe consequences, with over 20,000 Palestinians killed and 53,000 wounded in Israel’s war against Hamas. On Friday, the U.N. Security Council adopted a resolution emphasizing the urgent delivery of aid to Gaza’s civilians. The United States successfully removed a more robust call for an “urgent suspension of hostilities,” with the resolution marking the first to pass after previous vetoes.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres reiterated the call for a humanitarian cease-fire, expressing hope that the resolution might facilitate it. “The real problem is that the way Israel is conducting this offensive is creating massive obstacles to the distribution of humanitarian aid inside Gaza,” he said. He criticized Israel’s offensive, noting its hindrance to aid distribution and emphasizing the need for security, staff safety, logistical capacity, and the resumption of commercial activity for an effective aid operation.
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Israel’s extensive aerial and ground offensive has displaced nearly 85% of Gaza’s population and caused widespread destruction. A recent report indicates that over half a million people in Gaza, constituting a quarter of the population, are experiencing starvation.