Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip continue to pay the price of Israeli occupation aggression, as incidents of killing and injury among unarmed residents recur in a context marked by the use of lethal force in populated areas. This reflects an ongoing pattern of grave violations of civilians’ rights to life and security.
On Sunday morning, a Palestinian woman was killed by Israeli occupation forces in the town of Beit Lahia, north of the Gaza Strip, according to medical sources.
The sources confirmed that Sanioura al-Sheish, aged 45, died after being directly shot by occupation forces.
With her killing, the number of Palestinians killed since the early morning hours has risen to three, in addition to two people injured by gunfire after occupation forces targeted the rear courtyard of Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip.
According to medical data, the total number of Palestinians killed since 11 October has increased to 419, while the number of injured has reached 1,171. In addition, 684 bodies have been recovered from various areas across the Gaza Strip.
In another field development, a Palestinian was shot in the head by occupation forces in the north-western outskirts of Rafah. His condition was described as critical. The incident occurred in an area from which Israeli forces had previously withdrawn, in accordance with announced arrangements.
Israeli fighter jets also carried out a series of airstrikes on various areas north and west of Rafah, while residential buildings were demolished in the eastern areas of Khan Younis, and artillery shelling targeted several locations around the city.
In the northern Gaza Strip and east of Gaza City, Israeli aircraft launched additional airstrikes, while military vehicles opened indiscriminate fire toward the eastern areas of Al-Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza.
Taken together, these incidents constitute a direct violation of international humanitarian law, which prohibits the targeting of civilians or exposing them to danger under any circumstances, whether during active hostilities or otherwise.
International law affirms that the protection of the civilian population is a permanent obligation that is not suspended by the presence or absence of political or military agreements.
Firing live ammunition in residential areas, conducting airstrikes, and carrying out demolition operations near civilian تجمعات breach the principles of distinction and proportionality, and reveal the use of means and methods of warfare that fail to meet even the minimum standards of civilian protection.
These violations are particularly grave when they occur in the vicinity of medical facilities, which enjoy special protection that must not be infringed under any circumstances.
International legal standards further stress that the repeated commission of such acts may amount to war crimes, especially when carried out in a systematic and recurring manner that deprives the population of the most basic conditions of safety and life, entrenching a constant state of fear and instability.
The genocidal war launched by the Israeli occupation against the Gaza Strip since 7 October 2023 has resulted in more than 71,000 Palestinian deaths and 171,000 injuries, alongside massive destruction affecting nearly 90 per cent of civilian infrastructure, with reconstruction costs estimated at tens of billions of dollars.
