The besieged Gaza Strip endured yet another night of relentless Israeli bombardment, leaving dozens of Palestinians dead and wounded as airstrikes targeted civilian homes across multiple areas. This ongoing assault has exacerbated the already dire humanitarian crisis, deepening the suffering of Gaza’s population under blockade.
The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) bombed several homes, killing seven members of the Abu Deeb family in Bani Suheila and eight from the Abu Daqqa family in Abasan al-Kabira. More civilians were killed in an airstrike on the home of Abdul Rahman al-Majaida in the Mirage area, while ten members of the Jabr family perished in Rafah, and seven others were killed in an attack on the al-Sultan neighbourhood in Beit Lahia.
The deliberate targeting of densely populated civilian homes constitutes a war crime under international law. The Fourth Geneva Convention explicitly prohibits attacks on civilians and mandates the principle of distinction between combatants and non-combatants, a principle grossly violated by Israel’s ongoing airstrikes, as documented by human rights organisations.
This renewed campaign of mass killings coincides with the continuation of Israel’s crippling blockade on Gaza, which has led to severe shortages of food, medicine, and fuel. Hospitals are now on the brink of collapse, struggling to treat the wounded due to a lack of medical supplies, putting the lives of the injured and sick at extreme risk.
Since the beginning of the assault on 7 October 2023, more than 48,572 Palestinians have been killed, the vast majority of whom are women and children, with 112,032 others wounded. Many remain trapped under the rubble as emergency teams face severe shortages of equipment needed for search and rescue operations.
The ongoing bombardment of Gaza raises serious questions about the effectiveness of international mechanisms in upholding civilian protection, delivering justice, and holding Israel accountable for war crimes. Calls for investigations into these atrocities have so far yielded no concrete action.
The right to life and dignity is enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The systematic deprivation of this right for Palestinians in Gaza demands a decisive international response that goes beyond symbolic condemnations. The people of Gaza deserve to live in safety and dignity, free from bombardment, blockade, and the constant spectre of collective punishment.
