Israeli bombardment kills 60 people in Gaza overnight
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On the 343rd day of genocide, Israeli occupation forces bombard numerous areas in Gaza, mostly central Gaza and the South.
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Palestinians look at the destruction after an Israeli airstrike on a crowded tent camp housing Palestinians displaced by the war in al-Mawasi, Gaza Strip, Tuesday, September 10, 2024. (AP)
Israeli occupation forces have continued their relentless war on Gaza for the 343rd consecutive day, launching intensive airstrikes on various parts of the besieged Palestinian territory.
These attacks targeted central Gaza, Gaza City, and areas in the southern part of the Strip, resulting in dozens of casualties. The death toll has reached 60 since last night, with many others wounded in the strikes, Al Mayadeen's correspondent reported.
In the Jabalia refugee camp, located in northern Gaza, at least one person was killed when Israeli forces bombed a house in the al-Faluja area. Moreover, several hospitals in the northern part of the Gaza Strip have warned that they are on the brink of shutting down due to a severe fuel shortage.
In the al-Zaytoun neighborhood, southeast of Gaza City, a number of civilians, mostly women and children, were killed when a house was bombed. Rescue teams continue to search for survivors trapped under the rubble.
Al-Zaytoun neighborhood also witnessed heavy air bombardment. An Israeli airstrike targeted the area around Salah al-Din Mosque, according to local reports.
In central Gaza, Civil Defense teams recovered the body of a martyr and several wounded individuals after an Israeli airstrike hit a home on 20th Street in the Nuseirat refugee camp. At the same time, three other people were killed and several others were wounded, when a strike hit a house sheltering displaced civilians in the camp.
Further south in Rafah, five people were killed by Israeli tank shelling that targeted a house in the Mawasi Rafah area.
These recent casualties are part of a much larger death toll. Since October 7, the Ministry of Health in Gaza has reported more than 41,118 martyrs and 95,125 injuries as of September 12.
As the bombardment continues, many victims remain trapped under debris, and ambulances and civil defense teams face difficulties reaching them due to the ongoing strikes and the accumulation of rubble across the roads.
Meanwhile, UNRWA announced that the first round of the polio vaccination campaign in Gaza ended yesterday, adding that the agency and partners have vaccinated hundreds of thousands of children, successfully reaching 90% vaccination coverage.
The next challenge, according to UNRWA, will be providing the second dose, needed in the coming weeks.
The first round of the #polio vaccination campaign in #Gaza ended yesterday.@UNRWA and partners have vaccinated hundreds of thousands of children, successfully reaching 90% vaccination coverage.
— UNRWA (@UNRWA) September 13, 2024
Our next challenge will be providing the second dose, needed in the coming weeks. pic.twitter.com/cm5SGLaeoS
18,000 children without protection
In a press conference at the United Nations headquarters in Brussels, UN Humanitarian Coordinator Muhannad Hadi shed light on the grave humanitarian crisis affecting children in Gaza. Hadi revealed that between 17,000 and 18,000 children are currently orphaned and without protection.
According to the Palestinian news agency WAFA, Hadi pointed to the harsh living conditions faced by these children. With limited access to electricity and cooking gas, many are forced to collect firewood instead of attending school or playing. "It's heartbreaking to see children gathering firewood when they should be in classrooms," Hadi remarked.
The UN official described children selling broken door handles and other worthless items on the streets. The economic crisis has been compounded by a severe cash shortage, worsening the already desperate humanitarian conditions.
Hadi, who visited Gaza in August, compared the level of destruction to a "horror film", describing how basic necessities, such as clean water, coffee, and breakfast have become distant dreams for many after 11 months of the war.
The UN official spoke about the Israeli bureaucratic hurdles that make it difficult for aid workers to operate, including issues related to visas and border crossings. Moreover, there are grave security concerns, as UN and humanitarian vehicles have been targeted by gunfire. In one instance, a World Food Programme vehicle was hit by ten bullets in August.
The ongoing violence has also claimed the lives of many humanitarian workers. Hadi reported that 214 staff members from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) and seven from the Global Central Kitchen have been killed in the line of duty amid the ongoing Israeli aggression.
Hadi emphasized that the crisis in Gaza and the West Bank has far-reaching consequences, warning of its broader implications for the entire region. "The devastation here affects not just Gaza, but threatens stability far beyond," he cautioned.
