The Israeli military has once again targeted Gaza’s southern city of Khan Younis with relentless artillery shelling and air strikes on residential areas. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society headquarters was hit for the third time in less than a week, resulting in several casualties.
The damage to medical equipment inside the headquarters will further exacerbate the suffering of the people in Gaza and the already dire situation of the hospitals. In the city of Rafah, where hundreds of thousands of internally displaced Palestinians have sought refuge, non-stop shelling continued into Wednesday morning. Additionally, Israeli bulldozers were creating a “buffer zone” on agricultural land, further limiting the space for the people of Gaza.
UN agencies are expressing concern over the escalating humanitarian crisis, as the majority of the enclave’s 2.4 million population remains under siege and bombardment, leading to displacement, food shortages, and inadequate shelter.
Mostafa Shennar, a 43-year-old who fled Gaza City, described the living conditions as “hopeless.” Israel has declared its intention to dismantle Hamas and has warned that the conflict, which began after Hamas’s attack on October 7, may continue for several more years. Efforts to negotiate a ceasefire have so far been unsuccessful.