Israeli warplanes struck two refugee camps within the Gaza Strip early Sunday, killing a minimum of 53 individuals and wounding dozens, Palestinian well being officers stated. The strikes got here as Israel stated it could press on with its offensive to crush the territory’s Hamas rulers, regardless of U.S. appeals for a pause to get help to determined civilians.
Israel has rejected the thought of halting its offensive, even for temporary humanitarian pauses proposed by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken throughout his present tour of the area. Gazas Well being Ministry stated greater than 9,700 Palestinians have been killed within the territory in practically a month of struggle, a quantity that’s more likely to rise as Israeli troops advance into dense, city neighborhoods.
Airstrikes hit the Maghazi refugee camp in central Gaza in a single day, killing a minimum of 40 individuals and wounding 34 others, the Well being Ministry stated.
An Related Press reporter at a close-by hospital noticed eight useless kids, together with a child, who had been introduced in after the strike. A surviving baby was led down the hall, her garments caked in mud, an expression of shock on her face.
Arafat Abu Mashaia, who lives within the camp, stated the Israeli airstrike flattened a number of multi-story properties the place individuals compelled out of different elements of Gaza had been sheltering. It was a real bloodbath, he stated whereas standing on the wreckage. All listed below are peaceable individuals. I problem anybody who says there have been resistance (fighters) right here.
There was no speedy remark from the Israeli navy. The camp, a built-up residential space, is positioned within the evacuation zone the place Israels navy had urged Palestinian civilians to hunt refuge because it focuses its navy offensive on the north.
One other airstrike hit a home close to a college on the Bureji refugee camp in central Gaza on Sunday, and employees at Al-Aqsa Hospital instructed the AP a minimum of 13 individuals had been killed. The camp is dwelling to an estimated 46,000 individuals and was struck on Thursday as properly.
Regardless of appeals and abroad demonstrations, Israel has continued its bombardment throughout Gaza, saying it’s concentrating on Hamas and accusing it of utilizing civilians as human shields. Critics say Israels strikes are sometimes disproportionate, contemplating the big variety of civilians killed.
Blinken met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas within the occupied West Financial institution on Sunday, a day after talks with Arab overseas ministers in neighboring Jordan.
Abbas, who has had no authority in Gaza since Hamas took over in 2007, stated the Palestinian Authority would solely assume management of Gaza as a part of a complete political answer establishing an impartial state that may additionally take within the West Financial institution and east Jerusalem, lands Israel seized within the 1967 struggle.
His remarks appeared to additional slim the already slim choices for who would govern Gaza if Israel succeeds in toppling Hamas. The final peace talks with Israel broke down greater than a decade in the past, and Israel’s authorities is dominated by opponents of Palestinian statehood.
Earlier in his tour, Blinken met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who on Sunday reiterated whereas visiting an air pressure base that there can be no ceasefire with out the return of our abductees. He added: We’ll simply proceed till we beat them, we’ve got no various.
Arab leaders have referred to as for an instantaneous cease-fire. However Blinken stated that “would merely go away Hamas in place, capable of regroup and repeat what it did on Oct. 7,” when the group launched a wide-ranging assault from Gaza into southern Israel, triggering the struggle.
Blinken stated humanitarian pauses might be crucial in defending civilians, getting help in and getting overseas nationals out, “whereas nonetheless enabling Israel to realize its goal, the defeat of Hamas.
Swaths of residential neighborhoods in northern Gaza have been leveled in airstrikes. The U.N. workplace for humanitarian affairs says greater than half the remaining residents, estimated at round 300,000, are sheltering in U.N.-run amenities. Lethal Israeli strikes have repeatedly hit and broken these shelters.
Israeli planes as soon as once more dropped leaflets urging individuals to move south throughout a four-hour window on Sunday. Crowds of individuals might be seen strolling down Gaza’s foremost north-south freeway carrying baggage, even pets, or pushing wheelchairs. Others led donkey carts.
One man stated they needed to stroll 500 meters (yards) with their arms raised whereas passing Israeli troops. One other described seeing our bodies in broken vehicles alongside the street. “The youngsters noticed tanks for the primary time. Oh world, have mercy on us, stated one Palestinian who declined to provide his title.
One other Israeli airstrike in a single day struck a water properly in Tal al-Zatar in northern Gaza, reducing off water for tens of 1000’s of individuals, the Hamas-run municipality within the city of Beit Lahia stated in an announcement.
The U.N. stated about 1.5 million individuals in Gaza, or 70% of the inhabitants, have fled their properties. Meals, water and the gas wanted for turbines that energy hospitals and different amenities is operating out.
The struggle has stoked tensions throughout the area, with Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group repeatedly buying and selling fireplace alongside the border.
Within the occupied West Financial institution, a minimum of two Palestinians had been shot useless throughout an Israeli arrest raid in Abu Dis, simply outdoors of Jerusalem, in response to the Palestinian Well being Ministry. The navy stated a militant who had arrange an armed cell and fired at Israeli forces was killed in the course of the raid.
Not less than 150 Palestinians have been killed within the West Financial institution because the begin of the struggle, primarily throughout violent protests and gun battles throughout arrest raids.
Hundreds of Israelis protested outdoors Netanyahus official residence in Jerusalem on Saturday, urging him to resign and calling for the return of roughly 240 hostages held by Hamas. Some households are touring overseas to attempt to verify the hostages aren’t forgotten.
Netanyahu has refused to take duty for the Oct. 7 assault in southern Israel that killed greater than 1,400 individuals. Ongoing Palestinian rocket fireplace has compelled tens of 1000’s of individuals in Israel to depart their properties.
In one other reflection of widespread anger in Israel, a junior authorities minister, Amihai Eliyahu, instructed in a radio interview Sunday that Israel might drop an atomic bomb on Gaza. He later walked again the remarks, saying they had been metaphorical. Netanyahu issued an announcement saying the minister’s feedback weren’t primarily based in actuality.”
Netanyahu suspended Eliyahu from cupboard conferences, a transfer that has no sensible impact.Among the many Palestinians killed in Gaza are greater than 4,800 kids, the Gaza Well being Ministry stated, with out offering a breakdown of civilians and fighters.
The Israeli navy stated 29 of its troopers have died in the course of the floor operation.
TIME has contacted the IDF and the Israeli Authorities press workplace for remark concerning the Palestinian Well being Ministry reporting that Israeli warplanes struck the refugee camps.
