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TL;DR
- An Israeli airstrike on Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Gaza killed four people and injured over 40, igniting a fire in a tent camp for displaced Palestinians.
- The Israeli military claims it targeted militants hiding among civilians, though no evidence was provided.
- The conflict, ongoing since October 2023, has resulted in over 42,000 Palestinian deaths and widespread displacement.
- Tensions also rise in Lebanon as Hezbollah retaliates against Israeli strikes, raising fears of broader regional conflict.
In a tragic escalation of violence, an Israeli airstrike on Monday morning targeted the courtyard of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza, resulting in the deaths of four individuals and causing severe injuries to over 40 others. The attack ignited a fire that swept through a densely packed tent camp housing Palestinians displaced by ongoing conflict. Palestinian medical sources confirmed the casualties and reported that more than two dozen civilians suffered severe burns, necessitating urgent medical transfers to Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza.
The Israeli military justified the strike by claiming it was aimed at militants allegedly hiding among civilians, although no evidence was provided to substantiate this claim. This incident is part of a broader pattern of strikes on crowded shelters and camps, which Israel asserts are being used by Hamas fighters as operational bases.
This latest airstrike compounds the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where hospitals are already overwhelmed. The Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital was struggling to cope with casualties from a previous attack on a nearby school-turned-shelter that left at least 20 people dead. Footage from the scene depicted harrowing images of wounded children and distraught families in the hospital’s overcrowded facilities.
The conflict, which began over a year ago with a Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, has resulted in significant loss of life and widespread displacement. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, over 42,000 Palestinians have been killed since the conflict’s inception, with women and children comprising more than half of the fatalities. The ongoing hostilities have displaced approximately 90% of Gaza’s population, forcing many to relocate multiple times as large swathes of the region have been devastated.
In addition to the turmoil in Gaza, tensions have also flared on Israel’s northern front with Lebanon. On Sunday, Hezbollah launched a drone attack on an Israeli army base near Binyamina city, killing four soldiers and injuring seven others. This attack was described as retaliation for Israeli airstrikes on Beirut that resulted in 22 fatalities. The ongoing conflict with Hezbollah raises concerns about a potential broader regional war involving Iran, which has been implicated in missile attacks against Israel earlier this month.
As international concern mounts over the humanitarian situation in Gaza, calls for urgent action have intensified. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin expressed his condolences for the recent attacks and highlighted the dire need for humanitarian relief in Gaza during a conversation with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. The United Nations has also been active in delivering aid to affected areas despite challenging conditions.
The situation remains volatile as Israel continues its military operations against both Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon. The international community is closely monitoring developments as efforts to mitigate the humanitarian impact continue amidst escalating hostilities.
Source: TBS News
