Tragedy Strikes Gaza: Scores Killed in Israeli Attacks
The ongoing conflict in Gaza has taken a devastating turn as Israeli attacks claimed the lives of scores of people, according to local medics. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) had previously ordered the evacuation of a designated humanitarian zone, but strikes continued, resulting in hundreds of wounded in parts of Khan Younis.
As the violence escalates, the UK Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, reiterated his call for a ceasefire during his visit to Jerusalem. The latest attacks follow two days of particularly deadly strikes, including one in a humanitarian zone in southern Gaza that resulted in at least 90 fatalities. The Israeli forces targeted Mohammed Deif, the head of Hamas’s military wing, in this attack.
Despite Israeli speculation, Hamas maintains that Deif survived the attempt on his life. However, this incident has further strained the already fragile ceasefire negotiations that have been ongoing for months. Hamas spokesperson Jihad Taha stated, “There is no doubt that the horrific massacres will impact any efforts in the negotiations.”
The situation remains tense, with Israeli police reporting the killing of a Palestinian who allegedly stabbed an officer in the occupied West Bank. In other incidents, Palestinians opened fire on a car in the West Bank, slightly injuring Israeli civilians, while in a separate event, Israeli forces mistakenly fired on a vehicle belonging to an Israeli, injuring two civilians.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed serious concern about the recent civilian casualties in Gaza during a meeting with Israeli officials. The death toll continues to rise, with Gaza’s health ministry reporting that an Israeli airstrike on a UN-run school in central Gaza on Sunday has now claimed 22 lives.
The humanitarian crisis deepens as the Deir Al-Balah municipality in central Gaza announced it could no longer provide drinking water to 700,000 people due to fuel shortages. Meanwhile, Yemen’s Houthis have reportedly targeted vessels in the Red and Mediterranean seas in response to the Israeli airstrikes.
As the international community calls for de-escalation, the people of Gaza continue to bear the brunt of this ongoing conflict, with no immediate end in sight.
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The Guardian
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[The Guardian – Women and child in Gaza](https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2023/oct/11/israel-palestine-war-live-updates-gaza-hamas-day-5)
Link to original article: https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2024/jul/27/middle-east-israel-gaza-war-hamas-khan-younis-latest
