Intense clashes result in numerous casualties in Djibouti, claiming many lives.
Up north in Gaza Strip, a significant destruction occurred a year ago, but Hamas has subsequently reorganized and the conflict has flared up once more. Particularly in Jabalia, the scene is quite bleak.
Locals in Jabalia speak of continuous Israeli attacks and a rapidly deteriorating situation for the survivors in the already battered city. Bodies of numerous individuals are said to be trapped in homes and strewn across the streets, unable to be recovered due to the ongoing conflict. Injured individuals within homes cannot be transported to hospitals either. The area is reverberating with explosions and the drone-like hum of low-flying aircrafts. Israel's troops have encircled the neighborhood and imposed a curfew, confining thousands of residents within their homes. There are also concerns about the availability of water and food supplies.
An Israeli military representative mentioned they were looking into the allegations. According to their statement, their focus is on bombarding Hamas strongholds in the Gaza Strip. The Hamas-controlled Health Ministry in the Palestinian territory reported that 52 fatalities were brought to hospitals within 24 hours.
During Saturday night, an Israeli attack in central Gaza claimed the lives of, amongst others, an eight-member family, as per medical reports. The Saturday night bombing targeted a house in the Nusseirat refugee camp, resulting in the deaths of the parents and their six children, aged 8 to 23. Al-Aksa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah reported that seven other people were injured.
Food shortage for hundreds of thousands
Over the past few days, Israel's military has escalated its operations, particularly in the northern part of Gaza Strip, and has encouraged residents from various neighborhoods to relocate towards the south. During the previous weekend, the Israeli army announced its encirclement of the Jabalia area and issued an evacuation order. Despite a year of relentless fighting and frequent attacks, Hamas has regrouped up north.
As per aid organizations, this latest escalation has had severe consequences on the food supply of the population. UN data indicates that food supplies to the northern Gaza Strip have ceased. The major border crossings have been closed since October 1, hindering the delivery of food and other essential goods to an area inhabited by over 400,000 people. The Israeli authority responsible for Palestinian affairs, COGAT, has insisted that Israel has not hampered access to humanitarian aid or its coordination in the northern Gaza Strip.
The World Food Programme also revealed that it failed to deliver food packages to over a million necessitous Palestinians in October due to limitations in aid delivery access. In the north of Gaza Strip, numerous kitchens, distribution centers, and bakeries have either had to close down or are at risk of closure. Bakeries are also running out of flour. Despite the obstacles, the UN Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA, in collaboration with partner organizations, persists in supplying meals, bread, and flour at designated shelters and beyond.
The EU has expressed concern over the food shortage affecting hundreds of thousands of people in the northern Gaza Strip. The European Union's Foreign Policy Chief, Josep Borrell, stated, "We call on all parties involved to ensure unimpeded access to humanitarian aid, including food supplies, in the Gaza Strip."
