GAZA CITY: At least 14 people were killed on Thursday in an Israeli air strike that targeted a school-turned-shelter for displaced Palestinians in Gaza, two local hospitals reported.
The Israeli strike hit Abu Hussein School in northern Gaza’s Jabalia area, where civilians had sought refuge from the ongoing Israeli bombing campaign. Kamal Adwan hospital reported receiving ten bodies, while Al-Awda hospital confirmed four more fatalities from the incident.
Since October 7, 2023, Israel has launched a relentless bombardment campaign in Gaza killing at least 42,438 Palestinians, mostly women and children, the territory’s health ministry said. According to the health ministry, the death toll included 29 people killed in the last 24 hours alone. The ministry also reported that 99,246 people have been wounded in Gaza since the conflict began.
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues to worsen, with the United Nations and other relief organizations warning of severe food shortages. A UN-backed assessment released on Thursday stated that around 345,000 Gazans could face “catastrophic” hunger this winter due to reduced aid deliveries.
This figure marks a steep increase from the 133,000 people currently classified as experiencing “catastrophic food insecurity.”
The report, compiled by UN agencies and NGOs, highlights that the decline in aid is exacerbating the already dire situation. September saw the lowest volume of commercial and humanitarian supplies entering Gaza since March, leading to fears that the number of people facing extreme food insecurity could rise to 16 percent of Gaza’s population between November 2024 and April 2025.
UN agencies have repeatedly called for an end to Israeli attacks to allow for the delivery of crucial food and humanitarian aid.
Beth Bechdol, deputy director-general of the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), stressed the urgent need for immediate action. “To curb acute hunger and malnutrition, we must act now,” she said. She added that restoring humanitarian access is critical for ensuring food security during the upcoming winter planting season.
Meanwhile, global pressure mounts for Israel to improve access to humanitarian assistance for civilians in Gaza. The United States has also warned Israel that military aid may be withheld unless significant improvements are made in aid delivery to the besieged territory within 30 days.
The risk of famine, compounded by an intensified Israeli offensive, fresh evacuation orders, and restricted access to humanitarian aid, continues to loom over the densely populated Gaza Strip.
The UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, warned on Wednesday that the situation could rapidly deteriorate.
