BATTLES raged between Hamas fighters and the Israeli military in the vicinity of al-Shifa Hospital yesterday, as the Israeli genocidal bombardment continued.
Palestinian families which had been seeking refuge from the Zionist genocide fled by foot from the site as the Zionists stormed through al-Shifa room by room.
In a media announcement yesterday morning, the Israeli military admitted to killing 50 Palestinians inside the hospital, saying that its troops were ‘still operating’ within al-Shifa and that they had ‘killed more than 50 fighters, confiscated weapons and detained 180 people’.
The Israeli military lyingly claimed that it had caused no ‘harm to civilians, medical staff, and medical equipment’ in the process.
The Gaza Health Ministry reported yesterday morning that the Israel Occupation Force had committed nine massacres in different areas of the Strip in the past 24 hours, killing at least 93 civilians and injuring over 124 others.
The health ministry added that the death toll from the ongoing Israeli bombardments and shooting attacks, which started on October 7th, has now climbed to 31,819, and the number of wounded surged to 73,934.
Food, fuel, water and medical supplies have now run out for most of the 2.3 million residents in Gaza due to the tight Israeli blockade and the massive destruction of infrastructure and facilities.
The United Nations Human Rights Office announced yesterday that Israel’s restrictions on humanitarian aid for Gaza may amount to a starvation tactic that could be a war crime.
UN rights chief Volker Turk said: ‘Israel, as the occupying power, has the obligation to ensure the provision of food and medical care to the population commensurate with their needs and to facilitate the work of humanitarian organisations to deliver that assistance.’
His comments came a day after a report by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification which said that malnutrition and food insecurity have probably exceeded famine levels in Gaza’s north, and hunger-linked death rates are likely to do so soon.
Turk said the crisis was ‘human-made’ and ‘entirely preventable’.
‘Everyone, especially those with influence, must insist that Israel acts to facilitate the unimpeded entry and distribution of needed humanitarian assistance and commercial goods to end starvation and avert all risk of famine,’ he added.
‘There needs to be full restoration of essential services, including the supply of food, water, electricity and fuel.’
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned: ‘According to the most respected measure of these things, 100% of the population in Gaza is at severe levels of acute food insecurity. That’s the first time an entire population has been so classified.’
Meanwhile, speaking outside the Israel-Hamas peace talks in Doha, Majed Al Ansari, Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman, said that negotiations for a ceasefire are still continuing.
‘Our position is very clear,’ he said. ‘Any operation in Rafah, Gaza, would be a humanitarian disaster.’
He announced that there have been indirect talks between the head of Israeli intelligence unit, Mossad, and Hamas, with Qatar serving as an intermediary for both sides.
He continued: ‘We hope that nothing happens on the ground in Rafah that would make the humanitarian situation even worse.
‘As we’ve made it clear, Qatar’s role is centred on the humanitarian plan in general and the de-escalation in Gaza, hoping that we will bring this war to an end. All the details are already disclosed.’
