Hardly any food and water left: Humanitarian situation in Gaza increasingly precarious
Published: Friday, Dec 8th 2023, 16:31
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Due to the massive ground offensive by the Israeli armed forces in the Gaza Strip, the humanitarian situation of the Palestinian civilian population is becoming increasingly dramatic.
In Rafah on the border with Egypt and Al-Mawasi on the Mediterranean coast, eyewitnesses report that there is hardly any food, drinking water or shelter left for those seeking protection. In view of the suffering and displacement of civilians, international criticism of the Israeli army's actions is growing.
According to the Israeli military, the Islamist Hamas repeatedly misuses civilian facilities for attacks. For example, soldiers discovered weapons and tunnels on the grounds of Al-Azhar University in the Gaza Strip, as the armed forces announced on Friday. Hamas also fired rockets towards Israel from the "humanitarian zone" in Al-Mawasi, which is exempt from military attacks. The Israeli military continued its operation in the Hamas stronghold of Chan Junis and killed dozens of suspected fighters of the Islamist organization.
The war was triggered by the worst massacre in Israel's history, carried out by terrorists from Hamas and other extremist groups on October 7 in Israel near the border with the Gaza Strip. More than 1200 people were killed. According to the Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health, more than 17,000 people have died as a result of the subsequent Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip. This cannot be independently verified at present.
Report: 150 safe havens in the Gaza Strip exempt from attacks
According to an Israeli media report, there are around 150 places of refuge for civilians seeking protection in the Gaza Strip. These were not attacked by the army, the Times of Israel reported, citing the Israeli Cogat authority responsible for contacts with the Palestinians. These included schools and other public institutions. The United Nations reports the coordinates of these buildings to Israel. According to UN figures, there are now almost 1.9 million internally displaced persons in the coastal strip - out of a total population of more than 2.2 million.
Israeli army: weapons and tunnels found on campus in Gaza Strip
During an operation on the grounds of Al-Azhar University in the Gaza Strip, the Israeli armed forces reportedly seized explosive devices and rockets. An underground tunnel leads from the university campus to a school one kilometer away. According to the army, Hamas is also misusing the university building for attacks against Israeli soldiers. The armed forces repeatedly accuse Hamas of attacking from residential areas, hospitals and other civilian buildings and of using civilians as shields. The terrorist organization rejects this.
Another rocket alert in Tel Aviv and on Israel's border with Gaza
There was another rocket alert in Israel. According to the army, the sirens sounded again in the coastal metropolis of Tel Aviv on Friday afternoon. Loud explosions could be heard in the city center. According to Israeli media, explosions had already been heard there before. The reason was that projectiles fired by Hamas had landed in the Mediterranean. According to the military, there were also several rocket alarms in places on the border with the Gaza Strip. However, according to the media, rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip are now decreasing noticeably.
WHO spokesman criticizes Israel: More than self-defense in Gaza
A spokesperson for the World Health Organization (WHO) sharply criticized the Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip. The attacks, which have been going on for two months, are not just a matter of self-defense against extremist Palestinian groups such as Hamas, but affect the entire population, said Christian Lindmeier in Geneva. Innocent civilians were being hit by the attacks and even close allies of Israel had spoken of "indiscriminate bombing". The health sector had been severely damaged and it had become practically impossible to supply the people, Lindmeier said.
Relatives of victims of the Hamas massacre protest against Netanyahu
Relatives of the Israelis killed and kidnapped in the Hamas massacre demanded the resignation of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem. According to media reports, 200 to 300 demonstrators attended the rally near parliament on Friday. There has been massive criticism of the head of government, who has not yet taken direct responsibility for the political and military failure on October 7. Even before the brutal terrorist attack, there had been repeated mass protests in Israel against Netanyahu and his coalition. It is the most far-right government in Israel's history.
Dead in Israeli military operation in the West Bank
According to Palestinian reports, six people were killed in clashes during an Israeli army raid in the occupied West Bank. Among them was a 14-year-old boy, according to the Ministry of Health in Ramallah. According to the Israeli armed forces, there were exchanges of fire during the anti-terrorist operation in the Faraa refugee camp. Several terrorists were killed. Rifles were also found among them. According to reports, the Israeli forces also arrested two wanted suspects. The Palestinian side initially gave no indication as to whether the Palestinians killed were armed or belonged to a militant group.
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