In a devastating escalation in Gaza, recent air strikes have taken the lives of 326 people, according to local health authorities. The strikes, targeting houses and tent encampments across the region, have put a two-month ceasefire at risk, raising urgent questions about the stability of the fragile truce.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has directed the military to take "strong action" against Hamas in response to the group holding 59 hostages from its October 7, 2023 attack. The militant group has accused Israel of breaching the ceasefire, a move that could further jeopardize mediator-led efforts to secure a permanent truce. Egypt, a key mediator, has called on all parties to exercise restraint and work towards lasting peace.
Residents in Gaza describe the recent night as a return to the chaos of earlier conflicts. Rabiha Jamal, a mother of five from Gaza City, recalled, "It was a night of hell. It felt like the first days of the war," as explosions shattered the calm during what was meant to be a peaceful moment before a new day of fasting.
Hospitals, already strained by 15 months of continuous bombardment, are overwhelmed as casualties pile up. Medical staff report that many of the dead are children, deepening the humanitarian crisis. The Israeli military confirmed hitting dozens of targets and warned that the offensive could intensify, possibly expanding from air strikes to ground operations.
Amid these developments, aid deliveries to Gaza have been halted for over two weeks, exacerbating the dire conditions for the population. As tensions swell in the region, with concerns also spilling over into neighboring Lebanon, Yemen, and Iraq, the international community remains watchful.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk expressed deep concern, stating, "This will add tragedy onto tragedy," as the renewed military force risks inflicting further misery on a population already facing catastrophic circumstances.
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Israeli strikes in Gaza kill hundreds, threatening truce's collapse
cgtn.com
