October 13th 2024.
Citizens living in the northern Gaza region have reported intense bombing by the Israeli military on Saturday, following a series of airstrikes that resulted in the deaths of at least 22 people. The Israeli government has issued warnings to residents in both northern Gaza and southern Lebanon to evacuate in anticipation of further attacks against the Hamas and Hezbollah militant groups.
In Lebanon, the United Nations peacekeeping force reported that their headquarters in Naqoura was once again targeted, with a peacekeeper being injured by gunfire on Friday night. It remains unclear who is responsible for the attack. This incident occurred just one day after the Israeli military fired at the headquarters for the second time in a row, despite being warned by the peacekeepers to avoid targeting their positions.
Concerns have also been raised about the well-being of residents in northern Gaza, as reports of hunger and lack of aid have emerged. The UN World Food Program stated that no food aid has entered the area since October 1st, leaving an estimated 400,000 people without access to essential supplies. This comes as Israel continues its offensive in northern Gaza, which began almost a week ago and has intensified in both air and ground attacks against the Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Amidst the ongoing conflict with Hezbollah, a top UN official expressed concerns about the potential impact on Lebanon's ports and airport, which could be taken out of service. As a result of the fighting, over 1 million people have been displaced in the region. The Israeli military has reported that over 300 projectiles were fired by Hezbollah on Yom Kippur, the holiest day on the Jewish calendar, and have claimed to have killed 50 militants in Lebanon. However, these claims have not been independently verified.
According to the Lebanese Health Ministry, Israeli airstrikes on Saturday targeted multiple areas in southern and eastern Lebanon, resulting in the deaths of nine people in Maisra village and four in an apartment building on the edge of Barja. Hospitals in the Bekaa Valley were also damaged, with eight people wounded in Nabatieh. This brings the total death toll in Lebanon to 2255 since the start of the conflict, with over 1400 fatalities occurring since mid-September. It remains unclear how many of those killed were fighters and how many were civilians.
As the violence continues to escalate, the speaker of Iran's parliament, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, declared his support for both the Lebanese and Palestinian people while touring the scene of an Israeli airstrike in Beirut. However, the situation on the ground remains dire, with many Gaza residents trapped in their homes and shelters with limited supplies and no access to aid. Emergency responders are struggling to reach those in need as the bombing hampers their efforts.
In the urban refugee camp of Jabaliya, where a home was reduced to a 20-meter-deep hole by an Israeli airstrike, at least 20 bodies have been recovered with more still believed to be buried under the rubble. Elsewhere in the camp, a strike on a home killed two brothers and injured a woman and newborn baby. Another strike in the afternoon killed four people, including a woman, according to Fares Abu Hamza, an official with the emergency service.
The Israeli military has claimed to have killed over 20 militants in the Jabaliya area in the past day and has urged residents in parts of Jabaliya and Gaza City to evacuate to a designated humanitarian zone in southern Gaza. However, many families have chosen to stay, despite the constant bombings and dwindling supplies. One resident, Ahmed Abu Goneim, expressed his determination to stay in his home despite the dangers, stating that the occupation is trying to force them out but they will not leave.
The 24-year-old resident also shared the devastating toll the airstrikes have taken on his family and neighbors, with 15 of his relatives and neighbors, including women and young children, being killed in recent attacks. In the midst of the chaos and destruction, some families have been forced to flee their homes, seeking refuge in schools-turned-shelters. However, even in these shelters, supplies are running low, and food aid has not been received since the beginning of the month. The World Food Program has expressed concerns about how long the limited food supplies will last, and a UN investigator has accused Israel of carrying out a "starvation campaign" against Palestinians.
This ongoing conflict in Gaza began after an attack by Hamas on October 7th, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and the abduction of around 250 others. In response, Israel launched a military offensive that has resulted in the deaths of over 42,000 Palestinians, according to local health authorities. The conflict has taken a devastating toll on the region, with hospitals overwhelmed and hundreds of thousands of people displaced multiple times. As the violence continues, the situation remains dire for both Palestinians and Israelis caught in the crossfire.
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