A United Nations report has declared the Gaza Strip a famine zone, attributing the crisis to the ongoing blockade. The declaration comes as casualty figures surge, with over 300 Palestinians killed in the past 72 hours amid intensified Israeli strikes. Rescuers in Gaza report relentless bombardment, with at least 100 people killed in the last 24 hours alone, targeting homes, markets, and even restaurants. Gaza’s civil defense agency further reports that Israeli bombardment killed at least 26 people, including 15 at a school sheltering displaced people in Gaza City.
The EU is urging Israel to lift the Gaza blockade, citing a deepening humanitarian crisis. Aid groups are being forced to close soup kitchens across Gaza due to rapidly dwindling supplies.
The recent violence follows a raid in Nablus, where one Palestinian man was killed and 45 others were detained across the West Bank. These events are unfolding against the backdrop of the ongoing conflict that began on October 7, 2023. A recent documentary is revealing the identity and fate of soldiers involved in the killing of journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, potentially adding another layer of complexity to the already fraught situation.