The Gaza Strip is witnessing a dangerous escalation this Saturday morning, as occupation forces continue to open random fire on civilians and demolish buildings in various parts of the territory, in a flagrant violation of international law and ceasefire agreements.
According to medical sources, a young girl was shot by occupation forces near the tents of displaced families in the Netzarim corridor in central Gaza. Other civilians were also wounded by live fire in areas of central and western Khan Younis in the south of the Strip.
At the same time, the occupation continues to blow up buildings and carry out airstrikes in multiple locations across Gaza City, as well as east of Khan Younis and Rafah, in an ongoing breach of the ceasefire agreement that entered into force on 11 October last year.
Since the agreement took effect, occupation forces have committed hundreds of violations, resulting in the killing of approximately 591 people and the wounding of 1,578 others, in a continued campaign of abuse against civilians and the use of excessive force against an unarmed population. These practices do not merely constitute violations of the ceasefire; they also amount to grave breaches of international humanitarian law, which prohibits the targeting of civilians and criminalises indiscriminate bombardment, classifying such acts as war crimes under international conventions.
The deliberate shelling of homes and civilian structures, and the targeting of tents sheltering displaced families, reflects a complete disregard for international obligations that guarantee the protection of civilians and their right to life, security, and safety.
Moreover, the persistence of these attacks after the signing of the ceasefire demonstrates that the occupation considers itself above the law and continues to impose policies of collective punishment on the population of the Strip, constituting a dual violation of international human rights law and international humanitarian law.
This escalation follows a prolonged genocidal war that has lasted two years since 8 October 2023, leaving more than 72,000 Palestinians killed and over 171,000 wounded, and resulting in the destruction of approximately 90 per cent of the Strip’s civilian infrastructure. United Nations estimates place reconstruction losses at around 70 billion dollars.
These violations are not confined to direct assaults on civilian life; they form part of a systematic policy aimed at spreading terror and exerting pressure on the civilian population. They represent a stark challenge to the international community and underscore that the protection of civilians and their right to life is no longer merely a legal issue, but an urgent humanitarian imperative requiring decisive international action.
