As the Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip leave a devastating toll on lives and infrastructure, the Palestinian Health Ministry reported 11 massacres carried out by Israeli forces, resulting in the tragic loss of 125 lives. The death toll from the relentless Israeli attacks has now reached a staggering 23,968, with a further 60,582 people injured.
On the 100th day of the Israeli attacks, the Ministry of Health stated that the Israeli army deliberately targeted residential areas where families reside, while also directing their assault towards the health system and vital infrastructure. Ashraf Al-Qudra, the ministry’s spokesperson, revealed that 337 health workers lost their lives, with 99 others enduring harsh conditions in detention. Moreover, the Israeli forces intentionally attacked 150 health facilities, rendering 30 hospitals and 53 health centers inoperable. The wanton destruction extended to the destruction of 121 ambulances in Gaza.
The Ministry of Health emphasized that the dire consequences of the bombing and destruction have led to approximately two million Palestinians being displaced, facing the imminent risks of famine and the spread of diseases and epidemics. Urgent action from international organizations is called upon to address the escalating humanitarian and health crises among the displaced population.
Over 100 days, the Israeli army arrested around 5,875 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, including 355 children and 200 women. The arrest campaigns targeted various groups indiscriminately, with the number of women arrested reaching around 200, while the arrests of children surpassed 355 by the end of December.
On the other hand, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian Territory, Francesca Albanese, condemned the Israeli occupation for making life in the Gaza Strip unbearable during the ongoing war. Responding to inquiries regarding deliberate food deprivation in Gaza, Albanese criticized Israel’s actions, stating that they create conditions that render life impossible. She highlighted the shocking reality of approximately a thousand children undergoing amputations without anesthesia due to the Israeli authorities’ refusal to allow necessary medications into Gaza. Describing the situation as “catastrophic,” Albanese warned of the immense challenge of rehabilitating the Gaza Strip even if the fighting were to cease.
Albanese further revealed that only 8% of Gaza’s population receives aid from the United Nations, attributing this dire situation to restricted access to the north and relentless bombing by Israeli forces, even in areas designated as safe. Disturbingly, 45% of Gaza’s population suffers from extreme hunger, with nine out of ten Palestinian families enduring 24 hours without food in certain areas. Albanese highlighted the growing accusations of genocide, as famine can be a means of physical destruction, drawing parallels to the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. She questioned Israel’s claim of exaggeration and the prevention of media and humanitarian observers from entering Gaza, posing the question: “Why are media and humanitarian observers prevented from entering the Gaza Strip?”
On a separate note, the Israeli army withdrew from areas east of the city of Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, coinciding with a violent bombardment that caused casualties. The Israeli forces left behind widespread destruction, including the demolition of hundreds of homes and extensive leveling operations carried out by bulldozers on the main roads in the affected areas.
Further, Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, announced that they had successfully targeted an Israeli Merkava tank using an “Al-Yassin 105” shell in Khan Yunis. The clash continued as fighters engaged with a specialized Israeli force armed with machine guns in the same city.
