Gaza experienced a significant surge in Israeli airstrikes and attacks over the past week, making it one of the deadliest weeks since the war began on 7 October.
On 10 July, an Israeli airstrike on a school-turned-shelter in Abasan Al-Kabira, a town on the southeastern outskirts of Khan Younis, led to 29 deaths and several more injuries – all within 30 minutes.
Video footage circulating social media shows children playing football in the school’s yard, followed by panic and running after the explosion was heard nearby. The video drew sharp criticism from users, who condemned the indifference of football organizations towards Israel’s attacks on children amid two major tournaments taking place in South America and Europe.
According to the Israeli military, the strike targeted a member of Hamas’ military wing involved in the 7 October attack on Israel.
A few days later, on 14 July, another Israeli airstrike killed 90 Palestinians and injured hundreds more in what was designated a humanitarian safe zone – one of the deadliest attacks in recent weeks.
Users and activists questioned the skewed attention and concern of Western leaders and media outlets on the assassination attempt on Donald Trump in comparison to the indifference to the hundreds of deaths the past week.
Israel claimed the target was Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could not confirm he was killed. Hamas officials later clarified that Deif remains alive.
“Nowhere is safe. Everywhere is a potential killing zone,” tweeted United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on 15 July in response to the past week.
Since the onset of Israel’s military operation in Gaza nine months ago, nearly 39,000 Palestinians have been killed, many of whom were women and children, in addition to injuring over 89,000 more.
Trusted medical journal, The Lancet, the true death toll could exceed 186,000 – accounting for around 8 percent of the besieged enclave’s population.
Despite Israel’s unrelenting and escalating violence the past week, ceasefire talks between the state and Hamas remain ongoing.
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[…] recorded by Reuters showed Palestinians returning to the bombing site to check on their belongings, with […]
[…] recorded by Reuters showed Palestinians returning to the bombing site to check on their belongings, with […]