Over 90 casualties reported in the recent Israeli attacks on Jabalia, Gaza
In the latest Israeli attacks on the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza, at least 90 people have lost their lives, and over 100 others have been injured, according to the enclave’s Health Ministry.
The strikes, which occurred on Sunday, targeted a residential block belonging to the al-Barsh and Alwan families in the town of Jabalia, as reported by the Palestinian news agency Wafa.
Tragically, women and children are among the deceased, with numerous individuals still missing, according to Wafa’s report. First responders and locals are engaged in ongoing efforts to search for the wounded, with fears that more bodies may be buried under the rubble.
The son of Dawoud Shehab, the spokesperson for the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group, is confirmed among the casualties. An official from the group informed Reuters that the number of people trapped under the rubble is likely substantial, but the intensity of Israeli fire hampers recovery efforts.
Medical sources in central Gaza’s Deir el-Balah reported at least 12 Palestinians killed and dozens wounded. In Rafah in the south, an Israeli air attack on a house claimed at least four lives.
The overall toll in Gaza continues to rise, with approximately 19,000 Palestinians killed since October 7. Israel asserts that 1,147 individuals were killed on its territory on that day.
Simultaneously, Israel has intensified artillery shelling in southern Gaza, striking the cities of Khan Younis and Rafah, where a significant number of displaced Palestinians have sought refuge. This escalation has further exacerbated the humanitarian crisis, with starving people resorting to desperate measures to access food and water from aid trucks.
While Israel has announced the reopening of the Karem Abu Salem Crossing in the east, it remains uncertain whether supplies have been successfully delivered through this route. The United Nations estimates that 1.9 million people, approximately 80% of Gaza’s population, have been displaced by the ongoing conflict.
Philippe Lazzarini, the head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), expressed grave concerns, stating, “I would not be surprised if people start dying of hunger, or a combination of hunger, disease, weak immunity.”