The horrifying consequences of the ongoing conflict in Gaza have been starkly illustrated by the scenes at Al-Aqsa Hospital in central Gaza, where the faces of children, covered in a gray film of dust and debris, have made it difficult to distinguish between the living and the dead.
Two Israeli airstrikes obliterated an entire block of apartment buildings in the Bureij refugee camp, causing severe damage to two UN schools converted into shelters. As a result, Palestinians, young and old, who were trapped in the rubble, flocked to Al-Aqsa Hospital.
However, the hospital was already overwhelmed, unable to accommodate the number of patients.
Within the hospital, tiny, lifeless bodies lay on the hard floor, and medics struggled to save those who clung to life.
A small boy, bleeding from his head, lay motionless on the tiles while an infant, covered in ash, fought for breath with an oxygen mask strapped to his face. Their father sat beside them, a desperate plea in his eyes.
Tragically, more than 3,700 Palestinian children and minors have lost their lives in just under a month of relentless fighting.
The relentless bombings have also displaced over half of the territory’s 2.3 million residents, leaving them grappling with shortages of essential resources such as food, water, and fuel.
As Israeli troops continue to encircle Gaza City and pursue a ground offensive, the death toll is expected to rise even further.
This devastating conflict was triggered by a brutal cross-border attack by the Hamas militant group on October 7, resulting in the loss of nearly 1,400 lives in Israel and the hostage-taking of approximately 240 others.
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Deadliest Conflict in Gaza’s History Claims Over 9,000 Lives
In contrast, more than 9,000 Palestinians in Gaza have perished since then, as reported by the Health Ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza.
This marks the fifth and deadliest war between these long-standing adversaries.
The reasons for Israel’s targeting of Bureij, located in central Gaza, remain unclear. Israel had previously encouraged people to seek safety in this area to avoid the heavy fighting further north.
The Israeli army maintains that its airstrikes across Gaza have primarily targeted Hamas military command centers concealed within civilian areas.
However, the statement did not explicitly mention Bureij. Israel has accused Hamas of employing civilians as human shields.
Tragically, the strikes on Bureij on Thursday claimed the lives of at least 15 individuals, according to Gaza’s Civil Defense. Dozens more are feared to be buried beneath the rubble.
Paramedics and first responders have been grappling with evacuating the injured and deceased due to damaged infrastructure and shortages of fuel.
Consequently, casualties are brought to hospitals by relatives, neighbors, or anyone able to transport the wounded.
In Bureij, a community of approximately 46,000 people, Palestinians tirelessly dug through the debris in search of survivors.
Among the heartbreaking discoveries was a young girl, found under the wreckage, who was carried into the emergency room with a bloody foot and a face covered in ash. Despite her injuries, she insisted to medics that she was unharmed.
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Source: AP News via Yahoo
