Israeli military strikes have killed at least 50 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip Israeli forces tightened their grip around Jabalia in the northern part of the enclave on Tuesday (October 15, 2024) amid fierce fighting with Hamas-led fighters.
Palestinian health officials said at least 17 people were killed by Israeli fire near al-Fallujah in Jabalia, the largest of Gaza’s eight historic refugee camps, while another 10 were killed in Bani Suhaila in eastern Khan Yunis in the south when an Israeli rocket hit a house.
Earlier on Tuesday (Oct 15, 2024), an Israeli airstrike destroyed three houses in the Sabra suburb of Gaza City, and the local civil emergency service said it had recovered two bodies from the site, while the search continued for 12 other people. who are believed to have been in the houses at the time of the strike.
Eight others were killed when a house was hit in Nuseirat camp in central Gaza.
Later on Tuesday (Oct 15, 2024), Gaza’s health ministry said a doctor was killed as he tried to help people injured by Israeli strikes in al-Fallujah in Jabalia. He added that several medics were injured when their ambulance was fired upon by Israel in the northern and southern Gaza Strip.
Jabalia has been at the center of an Israeli offensive for more than 10 days, with troops returning to areas in the north that came under heavy bombardment in the early months of the year-long war.
The operation raised concerns among Palestinians and UN agencies that Israel wants to clear the inhabitants from the north of the overcrowded enclave, a charge he denied. Residents said Israeli forces have demolished dozens of houses in the past 10 days.
The UN human rights office said on Tuesday (15 October 2024) that the Israeli army appears to be “completely cutting off northern Gaza from the rest of the Gaza Strip”.
“Amidst the ongoing intense military action and evacuation orders in northern Gaza, families are facing unimaginable fear, loss of loved ones, confusion and exhaustion. People must be able to flee safely without facing further danger,” Adrian Zimmermann, head of the ICRC’s Gaza delegation, said in a statement.
“Many, including the sick and disabled, cannot leave and remain protected by international humanitarian law – every possible precaution must be taken to ensure they remain unharmed. Every displaced person has the right to return home safely,” he added.
Israel’s military humanitarian arm, Cogat, which delivers overseas aid and commercial supplies to Gaza, said in a statement on Tuesday (Oct 15, 2024) that operations in Jabalia targeted terrorist infrastructure and operatives located in civilian areas. He said it facilitates humanitarian and particularly medical aid for residents.
Hamas denies deploying its agents among civilians.
Jabalia Encircled
The Israeli army has now surrounded the Jabalia camp and sent tanks into the nearby towns of Beit Lahiya and Beit Hanoun with the stated aim of destroying Hamas fighters trying to regroup there.
The Israeli military told residents to leave their homes and head to safety in southern Gaza. Palestinians and UN officials say there is no safe place in Gaza.
Hamas’s armed wing said the militants were involved in fierce battles with Israeli forces in and around Jabalia.
Mr Zimmerman also called for health facilities in the north to be protected, saying hospitals were struggling to provide medical services.
Order to evacuate three hospitals in Gaza
Gaza’s health ministry said the army had ordered the three hospitals operating there to evacuate, but medical staff said they were determined to continue providing services despite being overwhelmed by the rising death toll.
Kogat said in recent days that he had facilitated the transfer of 33 patients, medical staff and support staff from Kamal Adwan Hospital in the north to functioning facilities elsewhere in Gaza.
He said he also provided 68,650 liters of fuel to hospitals and coordinated the delivery of 800 units of blood transfusion.
Ismail Al-Thawabta, director of the Hamas-run government media office in Gaza, said Israel was trying to create a misleading impression and that its forces had prevented ambulance and civilian emergency teams from removing the bodies of dozens of people from the streets.
Israel “aims to completely destroy the health system and hospitals,” Tawabta said, adding that the Israeli army has maintained a siege on the region for more than 170 consecutive days, closing all humanitarian access points.
On Monday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the level of civilian casualties in northern Gaza.
Northern Gaza is home to more than half of the territory’s population of 2.3 million, and hundreds of thousands of residents were forced from their homes amid heavy bombardment in the first phase of Israel’s assault on the territory.
About 400,000 people remain, according to UN estimates.
Israel launched the offensive against Hamas after the group’s attack on Israel on October 7, in which 1,200 people were killed and about 250 taken hostage in Gaza, according to Israeli figures. More than 42,000 Palestinians have been killed in the offensive so far, according to Gaza health authorities.
Published – October 15, 2024, 5:55 PM IST
