The conflict between Israel and the Gaza Strip continues to rage, with devastating consequences for civilians caught in the violence. Images of the damage caused by airstrikes in Gaza in December 2023 reveal the scale of destruction and despair in this war-torn region.
Israeli forces have intensified their bombardments on the Gaza Strip, particularly in the town of Khan Yunis, where thousands of displaced people have sought refuge. AFP correspondents report intense and sustained airstrikes and artillery fire.
The numbers are alarming: more than 20,000 Palestinians have been killed since Hamas attacks in October 2023, according to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza. The World Food Program estimates that 93% of Gazans’ 2.3 million people suffer from acute food insecurity.
In this context, the UN and the World Health Organization have called for urgent measures to alleviate the suffering of Gaza residents. Serious injuries, hunger and high risks of disease are all challenges facing the people of Gaza.
On the other hand, Israel, the United States and the European Union consider Hamas a terrorist group and have vowed to destroy it in retaliation for the October 7 attack. The Israeli army claims to have lost 167 soldiers in the fighting against Hamas in Gaza.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza is extremely precarious, with more than 80% of the population forcibly displaced from their homes. Residents live in crowded shelters or makeshift tents, mainly in the Rafah region near the border with Egypt.
The shortage of food, water, fuel and medicine, exacerbated by the blockade imposed by Israel, has plunged Gazans into deep distress. Humanitarian convoys that sporadically manage to enter the Gaza Strip via Egypt fail to fully alleviate the suffering of the population.
The consequences of this conflict are heartbreaking for civilians, as evidenced by the story of Ekhlas Shnenou, a woman who fled her home in Gaza to escape the violence. She expresses the fatigue, pain and hunger that assail her on a daily basis.
The sad reality is that the region is on the brink of despair, with daily deaths, entire families decimated and increasingly precarious living conditions for those who have managed to escape the ravages of war.
Faced with this tragic situation, it is essential that the international community and political leaders commit to finding a peaceful and lasting solution to this conflict. Only sincere dialogue and a willingness to compromise can put an end to violence and rebuild the lives of the innocent people who are its main victims.. It is time to end this cycle of violence and work together to secure a better future for all.