Israel kills 27 Palestinians, targeting schools, hospitals, civilians in Gaza
A Palestinian boy sits amid destruction as displaced residents return to Nuseirat in the central Gaza Strip after Israeli shelling stopped, Nov. 29, 2024. (AFP Photo)
Israeli airstrikes across Gaza have killed at least 27 Palestinians, including children and families sheltering at a school in Gaza City and patients at Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza. Strikes hit various locations in the Gaza Strip, with significant casualties in Nuseirat refugee camp, Deir Al-Balah, Rafah, and Khan Younis on Saturday. The Israeli military also ordered the evacuation of Kamal Adwan Hospital, but logistical challenges make it nearly impossible.
Why it matters
The ongoing conflict is causing immense civilian casualties, with Gaza’s healthcare infrastructure nearing collapse. Israel’s targeting of civilian structures like schools and hospitals, which it claims are used by Hamas, has raised concerns about the proportionality of its actions. Allegations of ethnic cleansing and human rights violations are also drawing significant international attention to Israel’s military operations.
Details
- School strike in Gaza city: An airstrike hit the Musa Bin Nusayr School, which was sheltering displaced families. At least eight people, including children, were killed. The Israeli military stated that Hamas had used the school as a command center to plan attacks.
- Hospital bombings: Kamal Adwan Hospital was bombarded with explosives and tank fire, while patients were still inside. Gaza’s health ministry described the attack as unprecedented. The Israeli military had ordered the hospital’s evacuation, but staff struggled to comply due to a lack of ambulances.
- Civilian casualties: In Gaza City, four Palestinians were killed in an airstrike on a car. At least five others died in separate attacks in Rafah and Khan Younis.
Zoom in
- Displacement and destruction: Nearly the entire population of northern Gaza has been displaced due to ongoing Israeli military operations. Palestinian authorities accuse Israel of ethnic cleansing to create a buffer zone. The destruction of vital infrastructure, including hospitals and shelters, has left the civilian population without access to basic services.
- Humanitarian crisis: With most medical facilities damaged or destroyed, and supply shortages increasing, the humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate.
Zoom out
- Stalled ceasefire efforts: Mediation efforts led by Qatar and Egypt have made some progress, but key sticking points remain, and a ceasefire has not been achieved.
