The strikes took place in the midst of Ramadan, at a time where families were praying or eating their pre-dawn meals. Others were abruptly woken as bombs tore through their homes.
Israel’s surprise attack could mean a full return of violence in Gaza, a population that has endured 17 months of continued bombardment, shattering its infrastructure and killing tens of thousands of Palestinians. The death toll continues to rise as more bodies are being found in the rubble.
“The violence must stop — what is happening in Gaza is nothing short of catastrophic, and global leaders need to immediately and decisively intervene. We are witnessing one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world,” stated IRUSA CEO, Ahmed Shehata.
Palestinians in Gaza are also enduring starvation, as Israel has blocked the flow of food, medicine, fuel, and other essential supplies into Gaza since March 2. Cases of malnutrition, particularly among children, are rising.
“Despite ongoing and overwhelming challenges humanitarian actors have faced in distributing aid to Gaza, we have been able to distribute over 116,688 hot meals to families since March 1 so far, and pray this new violence does not impact our ability to provide life-saving humanitarian aid to innocent civilians in the region.”
Israeli officials have once again ordered Palestinians to vacate their homes in the northern and eastern parts of the strip, reminiscent of the forced displacements of last year, which pushed families into ever more confined spaces, without adequate humanitarian support, and under continuous bombardment.