In the Gaza Strip, over 30 Palestinians, including young children, lost their lives in two Israeli airstrikes overnight into Saturday, raising concerns about the dwindling fuel and supplies for overwhelmed hospitals. The attacks targeted a home in the Daraj neighborhood of Gaza City, killing at least 20 people, and another strike near Rafah claimed at least 13 lives, including two children. The Health Ministry in Gaza reported a total of 135 Palestinians killed in the last 24 hours, bringing the war’s overall toll to 23,843, with about two-thirds of the casualties being women and children. Over 60,000 individuals have been wounded in the conflict.
Israel alleging Hamas
Israel attributes the high civilian casualties to Hamas, alleging that the group uses civilian buildings for military purposes and launches attacks from densely populated urban areas. As the war in Gaza reached its 100th day, the World Health Organization revealed that only 15 out of 36 hospitals in the territory are partially functional. The main hospital in central Gaza, Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, faced a fuel crisis, relying on solar-charged batteries during the day and receiving a small emergency fuel shipment.
Disruption in humanitarian aid
Amidst ongoing hostilities, humanitarian aid deliveries were hampered by disruptions in telecommunications connectivity. Israel’s severe constraints on humanitarian missions and denials have escalated since the beginning of the year, with only 21% of planned deliveries reaching northern Gaza, exacerbating existing shortages of food, clean water, and fuel.
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The conflict has led to significant displacement, with over 85% of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million affected by Israel’s air and ground offensive, resulting in extensive destruction. Recent events, including U.S. and British military strikes on Houthi-controlled sites in Yemen, have heightened fears of the war expanding into a regional conflict.
Case at ICJ
South Africa has presented a case at the International Court of Justice, accusing Israel of genocide, alleging failures in meeting Palestinians’ medical needs and directly attacking healthcare facilities in Gaza. Israel contends that it is working to protect civilians and collaborate with hospitals, calling for the case’s dismissal. The situation remains critical, with uncertainties about when a decision will be reached.