In yet another round of grave violations of international humanitarian law, 18 Palestinians—including women and children—were killed in a series of Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza Strip, most notably a double strike targeting a school sheltering displaced families in Jabalia refugee camp in the north.
The Israeli assault also extended to central and southern Gaza. In al-Nuseirat, a child was killed by a drone strike near a mosque, while another Palestinian succumbed to injuries sustained in an earlier attack on a school in the same area.
In the southern city of Rafah, intense aerial bombardment and systematic demolitions of homes continued, reflecting Israel’s apparent intent to erase Gaza’s residential infrastructure and deprive its population of the most basic elements of life.
East of Gaza City, residential homes were directly targeted and demolished, accompanied by heavy gunfire from Israeli military vehicles positioned near the border.
Since 7 October 2023, the situation in Gaza has escalated beyond the scope of conventional conflict—it now bears all the hallmarks of a full-scale genocide. Over 172,000 people have been killed or wounded, the vast majority of them women and children. More than 11,000 remain missing under the rubble. Entire neighbourhoods have been wiped off the map, and over 1.5 million people have been displaced, moving from ruins to tents and from one massacre to the threat of another.
Under international law, these actions constitute flagrant violations of the Fourth Geneva Convention and a blatant breach of all principles safeguarding civilians during armed conflict. The targeting of schools, hospitals, and residential areas cannot be justified under any security pretext—it is a war crime that warrants prosecution at the highest levels.
What is unfolding in Gaza is a test of global conscience and a challenge to the credibility of international justice. As bombs fall on children’s heads and schools are turned into mass graves, world capitals continue to issue vague statements—as if Palestinian blood warrants only muted words rather than meaningful action to halt the violence and protect lives.
