The tragic events in Gaza have sparked outrage and dismay across the world. According to information from the Media Office of the Hamas-controlled government, forty-two people were killed or missing following two strikes in central Gaza on Saturday.
Media Office Director Ismail Al-Thawabtah confirmed to CNN that the strikes took place in Al Shati camp and the neighboring Al Tuffah neighborhood. Civil Defense authorities reported that nineteen bodies were found after the strike in Al Tuffah, where more than thirty-five people were injured. People are still trapped under rubble after an Israeli plane targeted a house near the Batsh cemetery in Tuffah, east of Gaza City.
Another strike took place against a residential building in Al Shati, also near Gaza City. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Saturday that they had attacked Hamas military infrastructure sites in the Gaza City area. However, no details were given on the exact locations of the strikes.
These events follow a statement from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) saying that at least twenty-two people were killed in a strike affecting civilians taking refuge in southern Gaza last Friday. The displaced camp in the Palestinian town of Mawasi was the target of the attack, with parts of the camp having been designated by the Israeli army as a humanitarian zone.
The Israeli military is investigating the incident but said there was no evidence to suggest it was responsible for the tragedy. Meanwhile, Israel is intensifying its operation in Rafah, where an offensive was launched last month as part of its campaign to dismantle Hamas in Gaza. A Gaza official said the Israeli army was advancing deeper into Rafah and getting closer to the coast.
The death toll in the Gaza Strip since October 7 now stands at 37,551 dead and 85,911 injured, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health. Israel launched its offensive in Gaza in response to the Hamas attacks on October 7, which cost around 1,200 lives.
These events highlight the urgent need to find a peaceful and lasting solution to the conflict that has ravaged the region for decades. It is imperative that the international community intensify its efforts to achieve a political settlement that guarantees the security and dignity of all residents of Palestine and Israel.