12-12-2024 (GAZA) In a series of devastating overnight strikes across the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces targeted multiple locations, resulting in at least 33 fatalities, including children, according to Palestinian health authorities. The attacks come amidst growing international pressure for an immediate ceasefire, highlighted by a recent UN General Assembly vote.
In a particularly devastating incident in the northern town of Beit Lahiya, 19 people lost their lives when strikes hit a shelter housing displaced civilians. Hospital records from the nearby Kamal Adwan facility confirm that three generations of a single family were among the casualties, including four children, their parents, and grandparents.
The Israeli military maintains that the strike targeted a Hamas militant in the vicinity, though they dispute the reported casualty figures without providing alternative numbers. They continue to assert that their operations aim to minimise civilian casualties whilst accusing Hamas of using civilians as human shields.
Further south, in the Nuseirat refugee camp, separate strikes claimed seven lives, including two children and their parents, according to Awda Hospital officials. A subsequent attack in the same area resulted in four additional deaths and left 16 people wounded.
The conflict has expanded beyond Gaza’s borders, with a suspected Palestinian gunman attacking an Israeli bus near Jerusalem, wounding three people, including a 10-year-old child. The incident occurred on a motorway near major West Bank settlements, prompting an extensive military search operation in the Bethlehem area.
In a significant diplomatic development, the UN General Assembly voted overwhelmingly in favour of an immediate ceasefire, with 158 nations supporting the resolution against nine opponents, including Israel and the United States. Though not legally binding, the vote represents a clear indication of global sentiment regarding the ongoing conflict.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate, with UN coordinator Sigrid Kaag describing an “utterly devastating situation” for civilians. The UN estimates that between 65,000 and 75,000 people remain in the northern region, facing severe shortages of food, water, and medical supplies.
Since the conflict began following Hamas’s 7 October attack, over 44,000 Palestinians have died, according to Gaza health officials. The original assault resulted in approximately 1,200 Israeli casualties and the taking of 250 hostages, with about 100 still in captivity.
