'Israel' commits new massacre in Jabalia, besieges another hospital

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies + Al Mayadeen
19 Dec 2023 14:11
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Israeli warplanes have launched intense raids on the northern areas of Khan Younis city in the southern Gaza Strip, while heavy artillery shelling targeted all areas of the city.

Palestinians view the destruction of their homes after an Israeli bombardment in Rafah, the Gaza Strip (AP)

Israeli occupation forces continued their airstrikes on several areas in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, resulting in the killing and injuring of dozens of Palestinian civilians.

Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza reported, on Tuesday, that the Israeli occupation committed a a new massacre in the center of Jabalia camp, bombing an entire residential square.

مجزرة مروعة ارتكبتها قوات الاحتلال بالقرب من نادي خدمات مخيم جباليا شمال قطاع غزة pic.twitter.com/4PNIGCoSbp
— بلال نزار ريان (@BelalNezar) December 19, 2023

The Gaza Ministry of Health reported a rise in the number of casualties in the Jabalia camp massacre, with the death toll now standing at 13 martyrs and 75 injuries, including numerous people in critical condition.

Concurrently, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Health in Gaza, Ashraf Al-Qudra said there was adjacent targeting to Jabalia Medical Center, leading to the injury of journalists Islam Badr and Mohammed Ahmed with various injuries.

Palestinian media also reported a rise in the number of martyrs due to an Israeli shelling of several homes in eastern Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip to at least 29, including journalist Adel Za'rab. This raises the number of martyred journalists to 97 since the start of the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip.

#BREAKING| Israeli strikes have killed journalist Adel Zorob.

In addition to his work in journalism, Zorob was well-known in #Gaza for his charity work and efforts to help wounded children. pic.twitter.com/YKPmxLTS8a
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) December 19, 2023

Israeli warplanes also bombed 3 homes in Rafah early this morning, one of which belonged to the Za'rab family.

The Israeli warplanes also launched intense raids on the northern areas of Khan Younis city in the southern Gaza Strip, while heavy artillery shelling targeted all areas of the city, resulting in the killing and injuring of dozens of civilians.

The Israeli war on hospitals is ongoing: IOF besiege al-Awda Hospital

The Ministry of Health in Gaza confirmed, on Tuesday, that Israeli occupation forces have converted Al-Awda Hospital in the northern part of the Gaza Strip into a "military barracks", detaining 240 Palestinians, including 80 medical personnel, 40 patients, and 120 displaced civilians inside the medical facility.

The Ministry mentioned that they are deprived of water, food, and medication, and their ability to move across the hospital's sections is being restricted by the Israeli occupation.

Read this account of the horror currently unfolding in Al-Awda Hospital, besieged for more than a week by Israeli forces who are sniping at random people in windows. Not even 2 months ago, attacking a hospital was a scandal. Now no one, certainly not Israel, seems to care. pic.twitter.com/brSMNUrgUp
— Branko Marcetic (@BMarchetich) December 13, 2023

The occupation has also arrested six hospital staff members, including the medical director, Dr. Ahmed Muhanna, as well as a patient and a companion.

Commenting on this issue, al-Qudra expressed his condemnation of the international silence regarding the massacres committed by the Israeli occupation, most notably in the northern areas. He emphasized the lack of health services due to the destruction of hospitals, putting them out of service, underscoring the occupation's persistence in its genocidal war on Palestinians in Gaza.

In the same context, a World Health Organization representative affirmed, on Monday, that Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, which was subjected to an Israeli military raid, has ceased operations, leading to the evacuation of patients, including infants. This has exacerbated the already precarious state of health services in the enclave, as per the official.

Invading Israeli forces reportedly utilized a bulldozer to breach the perimeter of Kamal Adwan Hospital in Gaza last week, burying Palestinians alive.

"Palestines health minister has called for an investigation after 20 people were killed on the grounds of Kamal Adwan hospital... Doctors and witnesses say the victims were crushed to death by Israeli forces using bulldozers to destroy tents housing displaced Palestinians" pic.twitter.com/tRmMO8oG3R
— Saul Staniforth (@SaulStaniforth) December 17, 2023

"What we understand is it's not functional anymore," Richard Peeperkorn, WHO representative for Gaza, said as quoted by Reuters.

He tersely stated that two newborn babies were taken home "to their families and with a description of how to take care of them," while other patients, including infants, were forcibly displaced to Al-Ahli and Al-Shifa hospitals. "Many health workers were reportedly detained," he affirmed.

Many hospitals in Gaza have been rendered inoperative due to "Israel's" systematic targeting. Meanwhile, the health services in northern Gaza are facing the most significant impact. The Israeli aggression has forcibly displaced a majority of Gaza's 2.3 million people from their homes. While a significant number have headed to southern Gaza, there are reports suggesting that several hundred thousand people remain in the north, emphasizing the urgent need for functional health facilities in that region, according to Peeperkorn.

He additionally mentioned that approximately 4,000 displaced individuals seeking shelter on the premises of the Nasser Medical Complex in the southern city of Khan Younis are in jeopardy as "Israel" continues its military operations in that area.

"They told our staff that they were really afraid," Peeperkorn said.