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Al Jazeera

Gaza on Brink of Collapse as Israeli Forces Intensify Assault

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Israeli forces have killed at least 70 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip since dawn, including aid seekers and a 12-year-old child, as Israel continues to bombard the enclave where a famine threatens the entire population. The blockade has been in place since March 2, allowing only a limited trickle of assistance through the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a US and Israeli-backed drive in Israeli-controlled zones. The aid distribution points, branded "human slaughterhouses," have been attacked repeatedly, killing over 150 people and wounding nearly 1,500.

Key Takeaways:

  • Over 70 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip since dawn, including aid seekers and a 12-year-old child, identified as Mohammed Khalil al-Athamneh.
  • More than 200 others were wounded, with over 150 people killed since the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation started operating on May 27.
  • The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has been accused of playing a complicit role in "lethal ambushes" disguised as humanitarian relief, with the Gaza Government Media Office denouncing the body's continued operation despite documented attacks on unarmed crowds.
  • The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has sounded an alarm over the deteriorating humanitarian situation, saying the crisis has reached "unprecedented levels of despair" with over 2,700 children under the age of five diagnosed with acute malnutrition.
  • Israel has maintained a crippling aid blockade since March 2, allowing only a limited trickle of assistance through the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, and has barred established humanitarian organizations from operating in the territory.
  • An Israeli air strike in al-Mawasi killed three people sheltering in displacement tents, and three more Palestinians were killed after an Israeli drone strike targeted a group of people in the Ma'an area.
  • With the closure of al-Amal Hospital and the operating limitations of Nasser Hospital, hospitals are overwhelmed and on the brink of collapse, the Health Ministry has repeatedly warned.
  • Four paramedics were killed by Israeli gunfire while carrying out their humanitarian duties in Gaza City, and another three were killed in an air strike on Jabalia.
  • Israeli forces have also stepped up incursions into towns and villages across the occupied West Bank in recent days, with over 85 people injured and many others detained in Nablus during an hours-long raid.

Statistics:

  • Over 70 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza Strip since dawn.
  • 12-year-old child, Mohammed Khalil al-Athamneh, was identified as one of the victims.
  • More than 200 others were wounded.
  • 150 people have been killed since the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation started operating on May 27.
  • 1,500 people have been wounded since the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation started operating on May 27.
  • 2,700 children under the age of five have been diagnosed with acute malnutrition.
  • Israel has maintained a crippling aid blockade since March 2.
  • Over 85 people were injured in the assault in Nablus.

Sources:

  • Al Jazeera
  • Gaza Government Media Office
  • United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA)
  • Wafa news agency
  • Al Jazeera's Tareq Abu Azzoum
  • Al Jazeera's Nour Odeh
  • World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus

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