An internal view from Gaza, which is seeing an unprecedented level of violence. As of last night, Israeli airstrikes escalated, killing hundreds of civilians and destroying entire neighborhoods. Former U.S. President Donald Trump weighed in on the ongoing conflict. He noted the terrible humanitarian conditions in the area, noting that Gazans have been deprived of food for more than 10 weeks due to a siege imposed by Israeli authorities. The U.S. would not abandon these people, Trump promised, and the United States would go to great lengths to protect them.
The bombings carried out in the last 72 hours, and particularly today, have only intensified the conflict against civilians in Gaza. The death toll is already approaching the toll seen at the height of days of Israel’s renewed offensive after a fragile ceasefire collapsed in March. The humanitarian crisis has grown exponentially since. Now, Israeli military operations have turned to locate or eliminate Hamas leadership, with dozens of daily airstrikes on the new commander, who is reportedly sheltering in a network of underground tunnels under a hospital complex in Khan Younis.
Israeli government officials have repeatedly rejected claims that the blockade is starving Gazans. This denial continues in the face of increased violence and worsening humanitarian crisis. Yet Trump’s claim that civilians in Gaza are starving has once again sparked debate over the consequences of the blockade on civilians. He stated that they could not just look the other way anymore. He vowed that the U.S. would lead the way in doing something about it.
First-hand accounts from witnesses on the ground have illustrated the brutal reality that civilians are living in during the ongoing bombing campaign. Yousef al-Sultan, a local resident, recounted the horrors of the airstrikes, stating, “The Israeli occupation bombed the house next to mine, hitting it directly while its residents were inside.” Al-Sultan further remarked on the atmosphere of fear gripping the community: “There is a massive wave of displacement among civilians. Fear and panic are what overcome us in the dead of night.”
As hostilities continue to claim civilian lives in Gaza, we feel compelled to speak out against the violence. Recent strikes have brought at least 48 corpses into an Indonesian hospital in the north, and Nasser hospital has announced 16 more killed. A few days later, Mohammed al-Mughayyir, a spokesperson for Gaza’s civil defense agency would confirm the grim reality. At least 50 people have been killed just since midnight.
As the airstrikes have continued and civilian casualties have mounted, international outcry has increased and calls for peace have revived. Israeli ministers’ inflammatory rhetoric has raised expectations of military campaigns, as some ministers have openly called for “conquering” Gaza. Yet these comments have stoked anxieties of a protracted war, one with catastrophic consequences for civilians.
The international response to these developments will be essential as they persist and calls for cessation of hostilities continue mounting. The humanitarian needs in Gaza are escalating rapidly, with non-governmental organizations and activists urging global leaders to intervene and address the situation.