According to Rescue Officials, an Israeli airstrike has killed 76 members of one Gaza family. This follows a warning from the UN chief that nowhere in Gaza is safe, emphasizing that Israel’s ongoing offensive poses significant challenges to the distribution of humanitarian aid.
The strike, occurring on a building in Gaza City, stands as one of the deadliest incidents in the 12-week Israel-Hamas war, according to Mahmoud Bassal, a spokesman for Gaza’s Civil Defence.
Tragic loss of UN employee and family in Israeli airstrike
Bassal listed 16 heads of al-Mughrabi households killed, including women and children. Among the casualties were Issam al-Mughrabi, a long-time employee of the UN Development Program, his wife, and their five children.
Achim Steiner, the head of the agency, expressed the profound impact of losing Issam and his family. He emphasized that the UN and civilians in Gaza should not be targets, urging an end to the ongoing conflict.
The roots of the conflict trace back to October 7 when Hamas militants breached the border, resulting in 1,200 casualties and around 240 hostages. Israel has pledged to continue its offensive until it dismantles Hamas and secures the release of all hostages.
In Gaza’s 16-year rule by the Islamic militant group, health officials report over 20,000 Palestinians killed and 53,000 wounded.
Israel attributes the high civilian death toll to Hamas’ use of crowded residential areas for military purposes and its tunnel network beneath urban zones. While unleashing numerous airstrikes since October 7, Israel refrains from commenting on specific attacks.
The aerial and ground offensive in Gaza, displacing nearly 85% of its 2.3 million inhabitants, constitutes one of the most devastating military campaigns in recent history. More than half a million in Gaza, a quarter of the population, face starvation, according to a United Nations report.
Despite international pressure to scale back, Israel widens its ground offensive, focusing on additional areas, particularly the south. Operations persist in the northern half of Gaza, including Gaza City, the initial target of Israel’s ground offensive.
Israeli military reveals transfer of alleged militants from Gaza
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reports transferring over 700 alleged militants from Gaza to Israel for further questioning, shedding light on a controversial policy involving mass roundups of Palestinian men. Palestinians describe these roundups in northern Gaza, typically involving all teenage boys and men in a searched location.
Some released detainees recount being stripped, beaten, and subjected to days of confinement with minimal water. The military denies abuse allegations, asserting that those without links to militants are promptly released.
While Israel claims to have killed thousands of Hamas militants, providing no evidence, it reports 139 soldiers killed in the ground offensive. The conflict’s toll continues amid international calls for de-escalation and a resolution to the long-standing issues in the region.
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