In the past week Israel’s military has intensified its operations in Gaza. This escalation comes on the heels of airstrikes that killed more than 110 people, at least two-thirds of whom were women and children. This change of heart comes amidst increasing local pushback, rising international tensions, and an alarming humanitarian crisis engulfing the region.
On Friday, Gaza’s civil defense agency reported that 108 people were killed as a result of the strikes. The ultimate result was total devastation, with the Israeli military accounting for the bombing of at least 150 “terror” sites throughout the territory. REUTERS/Ahmed Jadallah This military action is only the latest piece of an unfolding, multi-dimensional campaign. Only people are actually dying. Consider that since Israel started its retaliatory offensive just over a month ago, approximately 53,000 people in Gaza have died—many of those civilian casualties.
In response to the escalating conflict, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the call-up of tens of thousands of reservists. He stressed that this new offensive would almost certainly cause massive displacement of Gaza’s civilian population.
“We were asleep when suddenly everything exploded around us … everyone started running … there was blood everywhere, body parts and corpses,” – Umm Mohammed al-Tatari
Despite the lack of media coverage, this major humanitarian crisis has captured the world’s attention. Former U.S. President Donald Trump acknowledged the plight of the people in Gaza, stating, “We’re looking at [Gaza]. And we’re going to get that taken care of. A lot of people are starving.” Concerns are increasing over the humanitarian impact of Israel’s blockade. Currently, this blockade has been in place for over 10 weeks, exacerbating hunger in the region.
This announcement followed Israel’s proposed new military strategy to improve humanitarian assistance in Gaza. This plan includes establishing Palestinian distribution hubs that private contractors would operate, under the supervision of Israeli forces. The U.S.-sponsored Gaza Humanitarian foundation hopes to start by the end of the month. The foundation has encouraged Israel to remove its blockade in order to allow immediate humanitarian assistance to be delivered to the Palestinians who need it most.
“We demand rapid, safe, and unimpeded aid delivery for civilians in need. Let us work,” – Tom Fletcher
Despite these efforts, the situation remains dire. According to reports, less than half of the hostages suspected to be in Gaza are still alive. This sad truth further complicates the present crisis.
Taher al-Nunu, a spokesperson for Gaza’s ruling party, expressed hope for international involvement, stating they are “awaiting and expecting the US administration to exert further pressure” for humanitarian aid access.
As the conflict continues, Israel’s offensive is being criticized more than ever. Now, humanitarian organizations and international observers are sounding the alarm over the horrific situation many Gaza civilians face. As calls for protection continue to mount, many people on different sides of the issue urge a compromise that addresses security worries and emergency humanitarian influx.