Israeli forces have ordered medical staff at Kuwaiti Hospital in Rafah to evacuate as they pushes into the southern city.
Palestinian health officials report at least 20 people have been killed and dozens injured in Israeli airstrikes. Israeli forces are also reportedly firing on ambulances attempting to reach injured civilians.
More than 360,000 individuals have been forcibly displaced from Rafah since Israel issued ‘evacuation’ orders a week ago,” the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) said.
“Meanwhile, in northern Gaza, bombardments and additional evacuation directives have resulted in further displacement and heightened fear among thousands of families,” UNRWA said in a post on X. “There is nowhere to seek refuge. A ceasefire is imperative for safety.”
Israeli forces forcibly removed hundreds of displaced families from six UNRWA schools in the Jabalia refugee camp, turning them into shelters for displaced people.
Meanwhile, Gaza’s Health Ministry has warned that the health system across the Strip could collapse across the enclave in “a few hours”. The lack of fuel is affecting electricity generators in hospitals, ambulances, and transportation, crippling essential services. Only one-third of Gaza’s hospitals and primary health care centres are operational.
Extremist settlers and right-wing activists have blocked aid trucks from Hebron to Gaza at the Tarkumia crossing in the West Bank. Videos circulating on social media show settlers attacking aid trucks and destroying food intended for Gaza.
Amid the escalating Israeli attacks on civilians in the Gaza Strip, Egypt has announced its intention to formally join South Africa’s lawsuit against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The lawsuit accuses Israel of violating its obligations under the Genocide Convention in the occupied enclave.
South Africa recently hosted the Global Anti-Apartheid Conference for Palestine, a gathering aimed at the ongoing Israeli military campaign in Gaza and the illegal settlement activities in Palestinian territories. Delegates from over two dozen countries came together to issue a statement condemning Israel’s actions and advocating for justice for the Palestinian people.
The statement condemned a century of colonialism, 75 years of Nakba (the mass displacement and dispossession of Palestinians by Israel), and accused Israel of genocide, colonialism, and apartheid. It particularly highlighted the ongoing crisis in Gaza, condemning seven months of what it termed as genocide. The statement also accused Israel of turning Gaza into an extermination camp, with the destruction of essential services such as medical care, nutrition, education, and infrastructure severely impacting the civilian population.
Since the start of its war on Gaza, Israel, with unconditional support from the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and other western governments, has killed at least 35,034 Palestinians, most of whom were women and children, and wounded 78,755 others.