Gaza City: An Israeli airstrike on Thursday targeted a post office in the Nuseirat camp in central Gaza, killing at least 30 Palestinians and injuring 50 others who had taken refuge there. The attack brought the total death toll in Gaza for the day to 66, according to local medics. The strike also damaged nearby homes, leaving survivors and medical personnel scrambling to cope with the aftermath.
Nuseirat is among the eight historic refugee camps in Gaza, originally established for Palestinians displaced during the 1948 war surrounding Israel’s creation. Over the decades, these camps have evolved into densely populated urban areas now accommodating thousands of displaced people from across Gaza.
Earlier in the day, two Israeli strikes in southern Gaza killed 13 Palestinians, identified by Gaza medics and Hamas as members of a force protecting humanitarian aid convoys. However, Israel’s military claimed the targets were Hamas militants attempting to hijack the aid trucks.
“The airstrikes were conducted to ensure the safe delivery of humanitarian assistance,” said the Israeli military in a statement. It accused Hamas of intending to divert the aid “in support of continuing terrorist activity.”
Hamas sources acknowledged the presence of armed gangs hijacking aid convoys in the conflict-ridden region and said they had deployed security forces to curb such incidents. Over two dozen gang members have been killed in recent months during these operations, according to Hamas and medical sources.
Hamas accused Israel of targeting these forces deliberately, stating that more than 700 officers tasked with securing aid deliveries had been killed since the conflict escalated on October 7, 2023. The group claimed Israel’s actions were designed to foster “chaos and anarchy to prevent aid from reaching the people of Gaza.”
Rising Displacement Amid Evacuation Orders
The Israeli military on Thursday also issued evacuation orders for several districts in central Gaza City, urging residents to leave in anticipation of intensified strikes. “This is a pre-warning before an attack,” read a military statement shared on X (formerly Twitter) and via text messages and audio alerts.
By nightfall, displaced families streamed out of the targeted neighborhoods, heading toward the city center.
Also Read | Fuel Theft Fuels Crime: Ecuador’s Oil Industry Faces $215M Loss
Broader Impact of the Conflict
Israeli bombings continued throughout Gaza, with strikes on a residential building in Gaza City’s al-Jalaa Street and a house west of Nuseirat resulting in 22 deaths. Meanwhile, in Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza, prominent orthopaedic doctor Saeed Judeh was reportedly shot dead by Israeli forces while en route to Al-Awda Hospital, according to local health officials.
The Palestinian Health Ministry stated that Judeh’s death brought the number of healthcare workers killed since the conflict’s onset to 1,057. The humanitarian toll in Gaza has reached alarming levels, with over 44,800 Palestinians killed, according to Palestinian health authorities.
Also Read | South Korea’s Political Crisis Deepens as Yoon Vows to ‘Fight to the End’
Efforts to broker a ceasefire, led by Egypt and Qatar with U.S. backing, have repeatedly failed. On Wednesday, the United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly passed a resolution calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire and the release of hostages taken by Hamas during the October 2023 attack on Israeli communities.
The war, which began after Hamas militants killed approximately 1,200 Israelis and abducted around 250 hostages, has left nearly all of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents displaced. The devastating conflict has exacerbated hunger, disease, and suffering throughout the territory.
