DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — A recent Israeli airstrike in the central Gaza Strip resulted in the deaths of at least 25 Palestinians and left numerous others injured, according to reports from Palestinian medical personnel. This attack coincided with the presence of high-ranking U.S. national security officials in the region, who are actively seeking to promote a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
The airstrike targeted a multi-story residential building in the Nuseirat refugee camp, adding to a troubling pattern of Israeli military actions in Gaza that, since late Wednesday night, have cumulatively claimed at least 54 Palestinian lives. The Al-Awda Hospital in northern Gaza and the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in central Gaza reported that they received 25 bodies from the Nuseirat incident, with about 40 individuals wounded, most of whom were children.
While no immediate statement was issued by the Israeli military regarding this tragic strike, Israel has been intensifying its efforts to eliminate Hamas, an organization it accuses of using civilian infrastructure for military purposes. This military action is part of an ongoing conflict that intensified after a Hamas-led assault in southern Israel in October, which triggered the current hostilities in Gaza.
Simultaneously, the United Nations General Assembly advanced a resolution earlier this week calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, reflecting a significant global concern, despite the resolution’s lack of binding authority. The resolution garnered overwhelming support, passing with a count of 158 votes in favor, 9 against, and 13 abstentions.
Imagery from the Nuseirat site revealed considerable devastation, featuring a completely collapsed building as people navigated through the debris, with smoke billowing from piles of personal belongings scattered throughout the area. Palestinian rescuers continued their grim task of searching for survivors or bodies under the wreckage.
On the same day, ongoing assessments indicated a troubling toll from Israeli strikes earlier, which included at least 28 fatalities, among them seven children and a woman. One specific strike was reported to have leveled a house in the Nuseirat camp. In total, strikes claimed the lives of 15 men associated with local aid committees established to assist displaced Palestinians and those directed by the Hamas-run Interior Ministry.
These committees play a crucial role in facilitating the delivery of humanitarian aid, which faces numerous obstacles, such as security risks and logistic troubles associated with looting and hoarding necessities in the deprived territory. Israel, for its part, asserts that it permits sufficient aid into Gaza and attributes the distribution failures to the shortcomings within U.N. agencies.
In the north of Gaza, the Awda Hospital reported the tragic killing of an orthopedic doctor, Saeed Jouda, who was shot in the head by a drone strike while on his way to provide medical assistance. This incident highlights the dire conditions in the northern areas of Gaza, where attacks have persisted without allowing meaningful humanitarian relief to enter, forcing many residents to flee to Gaza City amid fears of famine.
As these events unfolded, U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan was engaged in discussions in Israel, where glimmers of hope arose for renewed negotiations between Israel and Hamas. Sullivan mentioned that a ceasefire in Lebanon has potentially set the stage for a similar agreement regarding the current conflict in Gaza.
Sullivan intends to visit Qatar and Egypt next, crucial players in the mediation efforts as the Biden administration seeks to finalize negotiations before the upcoming inauguration of a new presidential administration. He noted that the recent shifts in the regional political landscape have changed Hamas’s negotiating stance, which could be advantageous for reaching an agreement.
Previously, the U.S. had vetoed a U.N. Security Council resolution that called for an immediate ceasefire, arguing for a stronger link between the truce and the release of hostages taken by Hamas. This conflict was ignited by a deadly attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in numerous casualties and the abduction of many citizens. Reports indicate that over 44,800 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the conflict erupted, with more than half being women and children, although estimates of militant casualties remain unspecified.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is currently facing a warrant for international arrest over alleged war crimes related to the ongoing violence. The International Criminal Court has indicated that there is substantial reason to believe Netanyahu and his former defense minister could be held responsible for serious violations of international law.
