Sunday, November 17, 2024
Days of Pal: Israeli airstrikes early Sunday killed at least 75 Palestinians, including dozens of children and entire families, in northern and central Gaza. Among the deadliest attacks, a five-story residential building in Beit Lahia was reduced to rubble, leaving at least 50 people dead and many others trapped beneath the debris.
Eyewitnesses described the chaos and devastation as cries for help echoed from under the ruins. Rescue efforts were paralyzed by continuous bombardments, leaving families of the victims helpless.
“This building housed about 70 displaced people, including children,” said Mahmoud Bassal, spokesperson for Gaza’s Civil Defense. “We could hear survivors calling out, but we couldn’t reach them due to the ongoing strikes.”
Medical officials identified the victims as members of the Ghanim, Ayada, and other families who had sought shelter in the targeted building. Many more are feared dead as recovery efforts continue.
Two additional massacres unfolded elsewhere in Gaza. In Beit Lahia, 15 members of the Abdel-Atti family were killed when their home was bombed. In Al-Bureij Refugee Camp, central Gaza, an airstrike destroyed the home of Abu Wajdi Aql, killing 10 people, including two young children, Diema and Ghassan Aql.
Gaza’s Ministry of Health estimates that children make up 30% of the casualties from the Beit Lahia airstrike.
Director Munir Al-Barsh condemned the attacks as deliberate and systematic, noting they are often carried out at night to hinder rescue operations. Al-Barsh also revealed that Israeli forces blocked a United Nations humanitarian convoy carrying critical medicines to Kamal Adwan Hospital, further exacerbating the crisis.
Sunday’s massacres marked the 44th day of Israel’s intensifying offensive on northern Gaza. The genocide has killed over 2,000 Palestinians, injured 6,000, and paralyzed civil defense operations in key areas for 26 days.
The genocide, now in its 408th day, has left Gaza in ruins. Despite international calls for a ceasefire and access for humanitarian aid, Israel’s attacks continue unabated, drawing condemnation from global human rights groups and leaving Gaza’s population in ever-deepening despair.
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