Israeli airstrikes in central Gaza resulted in the death of at least 12 individuals, including children, according to Palestinian hospital staff on Wednesday. Among the deceased were two young brothers whose bodies were brought in dismembered. Since reigniting the conflict with Hamas last month, Israel has routinely targeted homes, shelters, and public spaces in Gaza, a region home to 2 million Palestinians. The area has faced severe shortages as Israel has blocked all imports, including essential supplies like food and medicine, for nearly two months. Humanitarian groups report widespread malnutrition among Palestinian children due to depleted U.N. food reserves.
Israel defends its blockade as a strategy to pressure Hamas into releasing hostages captured on October 7, 2023. Nevertheless, the U.N. high commissioner for human rights emphasized that deliberately starving civilians as a tactic in conflict equates to a war crime. The ongoing conflict has resulted in more than 52,000 Palestinian deaths, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, with over 2,200 casualties in the six weeks following Israel’s breach of the ceasefire. The conflict began after the October 7 attacks, which left around 1,200 primarily civilian fatalities in Israel due to Hamas.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported grave shortages of food, water, and medical supplies within Gaza, leading to collapsing medical services and non-operational charity kitchens. OCHA announced the distribution of its final emergency shelter kits shortly, though these do not include tents. The U.N. Population Fund reported the depletion of all shelter and hygiene materials. Only a limited number of hospitals in Gaza continue to provide obstetric care amidst rising cases of malnutrition among pregnant and breastfeeding women. Moreover, many newborns are now underweight.
In diplomatic developments, Palestinian U.N. Ambassador Riyad Mansour claimed he was prevented by Israeli officials from traveling to a West Bank meeting. Following a five-hour detention, he expressed his frustration to the U.N. Security Council, denouncing it as a form of collective punishment against Palestinians. Israel’s authorities have not commented on the matter. Mansour raised the issue during a Security Council assembly focused on the Middle Eastern conflict.
Faced with increasing shortages, charity kitchens in Gaza are struggling to feed the populace. As supplies dwindle, some can only offer meager meals, like lentils or pasta in watered-down tomato sauce. Desperate crowds vie for these sparse resources, with many fearing the closure of these vital kitchens will worsen their plight. Workers at these kitchens, like Abu Hamza Fawaz in Deir al-Balah, warn of potential closures due to food and fuel shortages.
Ali Samoudi, a Palestinian journalist with a history of reporting for international media such as CNN and Al Jazeera, was hospitalized following his arrest by Israeli forces. His son disclosed his father’s health conditions require ongoing medication. Samoudi had previously been injured by Israeli gunfire in the same attack that killed journalist Shireen Abu Akleh in 2022. Israeli military labeled him as affiliated with the Islamic Jihad and did not disclose further details of his location.
Meanwhile, Dr. Younis Al-Khatib, head of the Palestinian Red Crescent, called for international sanctions against Israel in response to its Gaza incursions and humanitarian blockades. He declared that the dire conditions created by Israel make life in Gaza unsustainable. The toll of the conflict includes the deaths of over 150 emergency responders and more than 1,000 healthcare workers, according to U.N. figures.
Elsewhere, wildfires near Jerusalem prompted Israel’s fire authority to ask for global aid. A major highway connecting Tel Aviv to Jerusalem was closed due to the fires, leading to the evacuation of residents and hikers in endangered areas.
Iranian authorities executed Mohsen Langarneshin, accusing him of being a Mossad operative involved in the assassination of a colonel in 2022. He confessed to supporting such attacks in Revolutionary Court, with claims of collaboration with Israeli intelligence in various operations across Iran.
Israel marked its memorial day with sirens and ceremonies honoring its fallen soldiers and attack victims. In Jerusalem, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to retaliate against the perpetrators behind the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks. Memorial services also took place at a festival site near Gaza, recalling the tragic events where a significant number of attendees were killed or captured.
Additionally, Lebanon’s president, Joseph Aoun, met with a U.S. military delegation to request pressure on Israel to withdraw from Lebanese territories and release captives. As security operations continue along the border, armed hostilities have been actively discouraged by Lebanese forces.