KEY POINTS
- 27 Palestinians killed in Gaza in the past 24 hours, bringing the total to 45,361 since October 7, 2023.
- Israeli strikes force evacuation of key hospitals, leaving northern Gaza without medical facilities.
- Christians in Gaza mark another sad Christmas.
- Rights groups accuse Israel of systematic depopulation tactics.
GAZA CITY: At least 27 Palestinians, including women and children, have been killed in the latest wave of Israeli airstrikes and drone attacks across the besieged Gaza Strip since dawn on Wednesday, the territory’s Health Ministry reported.
This escalation adds to an already devastating toll in the Palestinian territory, where relentless Israeli bombardment campaign since October 7, 2023, has killed over 45,361 people, mostly women and children, and injured 107,803, the ministry stated.
Among those killed were nine members of a single family in Jabalia and a pregnant woman in Gaza City. Medics managed to save her baby, but the newborn now faces life without its mother.
A well-known Palestinian writer, Walaa Jumaa Al-Ifranji, and her husband, Ahmed Saeed Salama, were also killed in an airstrike on their home near Nuseirat refugee camp, Al Jazeera reported.
In Khan Younis, a baby succumbed to the freezing temperatures in a makeshift camp as thousands of displaced families endured dire conditions.
These camps, characterized by fragile tents and a lack of tarps, blankets, or winter clothing, have become the last refuge for many fleeing relentless Israeli bombardments.
Hospitals Under Siege
The Israeli military has intensified its operation on Gaza’s northern areas, forcing the evacuation of the Indonesian Hospital—one of the last partially functioning facilities in the region.
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, patients, including those in critical condition, were forced to walk miles to reach alternative care in Gaza City. Similar Israeli attacks have rendered Al-Awda and Kamal Adwan Hospitals inoperative.
The Israeli military has forced the evacuation of the Indonesian Hospital—one of the last partially functioning facilities in the region.
“The occupation forces have taken these hospitals out of service through repeated attacks that destroyed essential infrastructure,” said Munir Al-Bursh, director of Gaza’s health ministry.
A Sombre Christmas
While the violence continues, Christians in the devastated Palestinian territory marked a sad Christmas. In Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus, a local choir performed alongside Gaza Birds Singing, a band formed by displaced teachers and students in Khan Younis, Al Jazeera reported.
The two groups connected virtually to deliver a poignant message of unity and resilience.
Hundreds of people gathered at the Church of the Nativity in the city of Bethlehem to mark another solemn Christmas overshadowed by the war in Gaza, AFP reported.
Missing for a second consecutive year were the festive decorations, and the crowd paled in comparison to the throngs of tourists and pilgrims of Christmases past — a reflection of the sombre mood as Israel continued bombardment.
“Our children want to play and laugh,” read a sign carried by one of them, as his friends whistled and cheered.
Traditionally in Bethlehem, a grand Christmas tree would light up Manger Square, but local authorities opted against elaborate celebrations for a second year.
“This year we limited our joy,” Bethlehem mayor Anton Salman told AFP.
Starvation Tactics
The ongoing Israeli siege of northern Gaza has left residents in Beit Hanoon, Beit Lahiya, and Jabalia without essential services for more than 70 days.
A report from the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) warned of an unfolding famine in these areas due to Israel’s blockade of humanitarian and commercial food supplies.
Hassan Barari, an international relations professor at Qatar University, described the situation as a systematic policy of genocide. “The US administration speaks of humanitarian aid while supporting policies that deny Palestinians basic necessities,” he told Al Jazeera.
The UN reported that Israeli authorities have repeatedly denied requests to deliver food and water to the besieged regions, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.
Humanitarian Catastrophe
Israeli airstrikes continue across the Gaza Strip, targeting residential areas and displacing thousands. The Israeli military maintains that its operations are aimed at dismantling Hamas’s infrastructure.
However, rights groups accuse Israel of employing tactics aimed at depopulating northern Gaza entirely.
Despite international calls for a ceasefire, the violence shows no sign of abating. Aid agencies warn that the blockade and bombardments will have long-term consequences for the region’s already fragile humanitarian situation.
