All articles tagged with #israeli siege
The article discusses the severe and lasting health impacts on children in Gaza, like 22-month-old Rewan, caused by Israeli siege, trauma, and starvation, which may lead to long-term genetic and epigenetic damage affecting future generations, highlighting the urgent need for international intervention to stop the suffering and prevent a potential genetic disaster.
Health workers in northern Gaza have exhumed the first corpses from mass graves in and around Al-Shifa Hospital, where they said Israeli forces killed hundreds of Palestinians and left their bodies to decompose during a two-week siege. The bodies were found buried or above ground, with some completely disfigured and unable to be identified. Witnesses and civilians trapped inside the hospital when it was raided described the area as "full of bodies." Israel Defense Forces claimed to have completed operations against terrorist operatives and infrastructure at Al-Shifa, apprehending suspects and eliminating terrorists. The siege has left specialized facilities within the hospital complex out of service, and UN experts accused Israel of denying access to healthcare to those most in need. Palestinians at Al-Shifa are searching for missing family members and demanding to know the fate of their loved ones.
An op-ed reflects on the destruction caused by the Israeli siege in Gaza, highlighting the devastation of iconic places such as the Al-Ailat Bakery, Gaza corniche, Rashad Shawa Cultural Center, Islamic University of Gaza, Gaza Zoo, Great Omari Mosque, Friends Club, Al-Azhar University, AbuShahla family orange farm, Al-Amal Institute for Orphans, Church of St. Porphyrius, Italiano pizzeria, al-Shifa Hospital, and Jundi Park, as residents share memories of these places that have been reduced to dust.
Israeli troops encircled and targeted Gaza's al-Shifa Hospital, forcing thousands of people, including patients, medical staff, and displaced families, to evacuate. The siege lasted for eight days, during which there was no water, electricity, or means of communication. Doctors could only perform simple operations and basic first aid, and access to cleaning and sanitation products was limited. Those forced to leave were subjected to beatings and insults by soldiers. The Israeli military denied ordering the evacuation, claiming that the hospital director requested a "secure axis" for people to flee. The Israeli onslaught on Gaza has resulted in the deaths of at least 13,000 Palestinians, including 5,500 children.
The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has warned that it will have to suspend aid work in the Gaza Strip within 48 hours due to a fuel shortage caused by the Israeli siege. The lack of fuel has already overwhelmed organizations trying to assist those affected by the ongoing conflict, with hospitals running out of fuel and unable to save patients. The conditions created by the bombing and the siege could also lead to the outbreak of disease, as access to clean water is severely restricted.
Palestinians in Gaza are facing a dire humanitarian crisis as Israel's military bombardment continues, cutting off water and fuel supplies and preventing aid convoys from entering. Families are struggling to find food and water, waiting in long lines for bread and relying on limited supplies from UN schools. Desalination stations have stopped working due to fuel shortages, leaving residents with salty water. The situation is worsening as food stocks dwindle and bakeries are bombed or forced to close. The nights are particularly difficult, with constant airstrikes and explosions terrifying children. The international community's inaction is disheartening for many Palestinians.
Thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered in downtown Houston to show support for Palestinians and protest against the Israeli airstrikes on Gaza. The rally was fueled by anger over the intensifying Israeli siege and Hamas' surprise attack on Israel. Demonstrators waved Palestinian flags and held signs with messages such as "Save Palestine" and "No more tax dollars to Israel." The director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) in Houston reported an increase in Islamophobia in the area since the attacks began.