The already dire situation in Gaza has taken a devastating turn as Israeli airstrikes continue to pound the Palestinian territory. In the last 24 hours, a hospital and a UN school have become the latest targets, resulting in a staggering death toll and leaving no place safe for civilians.
According to the Gazan Health Ministry, at least 500 people were killed in an Israeli air strike on a hospital in the enclave. The head of civil defense in Gaza reports that the death toll has now surpassed 3,000 since the latest escalation of the conflict between Israel and Hamas began ten days ago.
The targeting of a hospital, a place meant to provide care and healing, is a blatant violation of international humanitarian law. Hamas, the Palestinian militant group in control of Gaza, has called the bombing a “crime of genocide” and stated that the majority of the victims were “displaced families, patients, children, and women.” Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has also denounced the attack as a “genocide” and called on the international community to intervene and put an end to the ongoing violence.
As the death toll continues to rise and the situation in Gaza becomes increasingly dire, it is imperative that the international community comes together to find a peaceful resolution to this conflict. The lives of innocent civilians, including women and children, are at stake and their protection must be the top priority.
With information from France 24