Israeli airstrikes continue to pound Gaza City, with a recent assault killing 11 members of the Dughmush family in the Al-Sabra neighborhood. The attack occurred as 10 countries, including Australia, Belgium, Britain, and Canada, are scheduled to formally recognize an independent Palestinian state.
Ground and Air Assault in Gaza City
Israel has intensified its military campaign, targeting high-rise buildings in Gaza City. Its forces, which control the city’s eastern suburbs, have been pounding the Sheikh Radwan and Tel Al Hawa areas, from which they are positioned to advance on the city’s central and western parts. The Israeli military estimates it has demolished up to 20 tower blocks in the past two weeks. While some 350,000 people have left Gaza City this month, roughly 600,000 remain.
Hamas Warns About Hostage Safety
Hamas’s military wing released a statement warning that the lives of the Israeli prisoners it is holding are at risk due to the massive bombardment. The group also shared an image of the prisoners on Telegram. Out of the 251 Israelis taken on October 7, 2023, 48 are yet to be released, with 28 believed to be dead.
Humanitarian Situation and Hospital Strain
In nearly two years of fighting, the Israeli bombardment has killed over 65,000 Palestinians, caused widespread famine, and displaced a majority of the population, often multiple times. The director of Al Shifa Hospital, Mohammed Abu Salmiya, expressed his grief after two victims of a strike, his own brother and sister-in-law, were brought to his emergency ward. He stated that the “occupation’s crimes continue, and the number of martyrs keeps rising.”
Israel maintains that the “war will end only if Hamas surrenders,” frees the prisoners, disarms, and disbands. Hamas, however, says it will not disarm until a Palestinian state is established.
