In a continuing development, foreign nationals in the besieged Gaza Strip are making preparations to leave the region. The Gaza Strip, under the administration of Hamas, reported a grim toll of at least 195 Palestinians killed in the wake of Israeli attacks on the Jabalia refugee camp. These attacks have drawn concern from UN human rights officials who have suggested that they may constitute war crimes.
In addition to these developments, Israel has stated that its strikes on Tuesday and Wednesday resulted in the deaths of two Hamas military leaders within the Jabalia refugee camp. Israel has contended that the group operated command centers and other "terror infrastructure" in close proximity to civilian structures, thus endangering the lives of Gazan civilians, as reported by Reuters.
On Wednesday, a total of 320 foreign citizens, including dozens of severely injured Gazans, crossed into Egypt under a joint agreement involving Israel, Egypt, and Hamas. The evacuees hailed from a variety of countries, including Australia, Austria, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Finland, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Jordan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Officials in Gaza have announced that the border crossing will reopen on Thursday, allowing for the potential departure of more foreign nationals. According to diplomatic sources, approximately 7,500 foreign passport holders are expected to leave Gaza over the course of the next two weeks.
Israel has been actively pursuing an offensive campaign against Hamas militants, employing a combination of land, sea, and air strikes, with the aim of eradicating the Islamist group. This action follows an incursion by Hamas into southern Israel on October 7th. Israel alleges that Hamas was responsible for the deaths of 1,400 people, primarily civilians, and the taking of more than 200 hostages.
Recent reports indicate that there were loud explosions around the al-Quds hospital in densely populated Gaza City during the early hours of Thursday. The Palestinian Red Crescent confirmed these reports, emphasizing the challenges of evacuating the hospital, as warned by Israeli authorities, without endangering patients.
Gaza's Hamas-run government media office released a statement on Thursday, reporting a death toll of at least 195 Palestinians in the two Israeli attacks on Jabalia, with 120 individuals still unaccounted for beneath the rubble. Furthermore, the statement indicated that 777 more people were wounded.
As international calls for a humanitarian pause in hostilities grow, the situation in Gaza remains increasingly dire due to Israel's ongoing assault and the tightened blockade. The region is grappling with severe shortages of food, fuel, drinking water, and medicine.
One U.S. passport holder, Dr. Fathi Abu al-Hassan, described the harrowing conditions inside Gaza, emphasizing the scarcity of water, food, and shelter. He lamented the overwhelming sight of death in the region.
The dire situation extends to the healthcare infrastructure in Gaza, with fuel shortages leading to the shutdown of essential facilities, including Gaza's sole cancer hospital. Israel's reluctance to allow humanitarian convoys to deliver fuel is grounded in concerns that Hamas fighters may divert it for military purposes.
Ashraf Al-Qudra, a spokesperson for the Gaza health ministry, highlighted the critical fuel shortage, particularly at the Indonesian Hospital. He noted that the main power generator at the hospital was no longer functional due to the lack of fuel. The hospital was forced to switch to a backup generator, which would render them unable to power mortuary refrigerators and oxygen generators, potentially resulting in a disaster if fuel is not supplied in the coming days.
In the realm of international diplomacy, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is scheduled for his second visit to Israel in less than a month. His agenda includes meetings with Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with the goal of expressing solidarity while emphasizing the need to minimize civilian casualties among Palestinians. Blinken's visit will also include a stop in Jordan, which, despite the normalization of relations with Israel, has withdrawn its ambassador from Tel Aviv in response to Israel's assault on Gaza.
In Jordan, Blinken will stress the importance of protecting civilian lives and reaffirm the U.S. commitment to preventing the forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza—a growing concern in the Arab world.
Furthermore, Blinken is set to engage in talks led by Egypt and Qatar aimed at securing the release of all hostages held by Hamas.
On the political front, the U.S. House of Representatives is expected to vote on a bill providing $14.3 billion in aid to Israel, with Republican support. However, the bill's prospects are uncertain, as it faces significant opposition in the Democratic-controlled Senate, and the White House has indicated the possibility of a veto. President Joe Biden has expressed interest in a $106-billion bill that would fund various priorities, including aid to Ukraine, border security, humanitarian assistance, and support for Israel.
The latest escalation in the region began with a surprise attack by Hamas on October 7th, prompting Israel to launch ground forces into Gaza following weeks of air and artillery strikes in retaliation.
The Gaza health ministry has reported a distressing figure of at least 8,796 Palestinians killed in the narrow coastal enclave, including 3,648 children, since the outbreak of violence on October 7th.
