DESPITE Hamas delivering a positive response to the latest ceasefire proposal hammered out by Qatar and Egypt on Monday, Israel increased its murderous air strikes across Gaza yesterday.
Israel launched a deadly barrage of air strikes on densely populated areas of Gaza City, along with an expansion of ground activity closer to the city’s key urban centres.
In addition to destroying over 450 residential blocks in Gaza City’s Zeitoun neighbourhood, Israel’s operations have now expanded to the nearby Sabra area, leading to the main heart of Gaza City.
It is believed that Israel is trying to exert maximum pressure in order to destroy what’s left of the city’s civilian infrastructure to create an environment in which people will not be allowed back into these areas.
There are still families trapped in Zeitoun.
Emergency services have been dealing with countless emergency calls, but the intensity of the bombardment is hampering rescue operations.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza said many victims of Israel’s latest attacks remain under rubble and ambulance and Civil Defence crews are unable to reach them.
On ‘World Humanitarian Day’ yesterday, 19th August, the Hamas Movement called for maximum pressure to be put on the Israeli occupation regime to reopen the crossings into the Gaza Strip and allow the flow of humanitarian aid.
‘The number of those who died of hunger and malnutrition has risen to 235, including 106 children,’ Hamas reported.
They also accused the Israeli government of seeking to destroy the healthcare sector in Gaza and deliberately not allowing medicines and medical supplies in.
Hamas appealed to all countries and international organisations to move beyond mere statements of condemnation and take concrete action to stop the Israeli aggression against Gaza and hold Israeli leaders accountable for their war crimes.
The Movement hailed the efforts being made by Palestinian humanitarian and rescue workers in Gaza despite their exposure to repeated Israeli attacks.
The Palestinian Health Ministry reported at least 60 people killed and 343 wounded in the past 24 hours, including 31 people killed and 197 wounded while seeking aid.
Hospitals say at least eight people were killed in Israeli attacks on tents sheltering displaced people in Khan Younis, and four more were killed in a strike on a tent in Deir el-Balah.
An Israeli raid in Gaza City’s Zeitoun neighbourhood killed at least four people and wounded others.
