The Israeli military launched a new ground invasion in southern Khan Younis city, resulting in a significant escalation of violence in the Gaza Strip. Israeli forces have killed at least 84 Palestinians, including women and children, and wounded 329 others in the recent attacks. This latest military action adds to the toll of over 39,090 Palestinians killed and 90,147 injured.
In the latest raid, Israeli forces killed five people, including a mother and her daughter, as well as several others whom Israel claims were resistance fighters. The Israeli army also withheld bodies of four Palestinians killed in the raid. The Palestine Red Crescent Society reported that Israeli forces prevented them from reaching the site of the drone strike to provide medical assistance.
The Israeli incursion involved more than 25 military vehicles, including bulldozers, that caused significant destruction to infrastructure. A Palestinian man remains in critical condition after being shot three times during the raid, and several others were wounded in the hours-long incursion.
Meanwhile, Palestinian factions have signed a “national unity” agreement aimed at maintaining control over the Gaza Strip. This agreement represents a crucial step towards a unified front in the face of the ongoing Israeli military operations. The details of the agreement have not been fully disclosed.
A Jewish-American surgeon who volunteered in Gaza has accused Israeli snipers of deliberately targeting and killing Palestinian children. The surgeon claimed that the snipers were delivering “dead-centre shots,” which suggests intentional targeting.
Philippe Lazzarini, the head of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), has called for accountability after the Israeli military attacked a “clearly marked” UN convoy travelling to Gaza City. The convoy was moving in coordination with Israeli authorities, yet it was still targeted, prompting demands for an investigation and accountability for actions that violate international humanitarian law.