Heavy combating raged on Saturday within the Gaza city of Khan Yunis, the principle battleground the place the Israeli military is concentrating on the Palestinian Islamist militant group Hamas.
The continued hostilities got here a day after the UN Worldwide Courtroom of Justice in The Hague dominated that Israel should forestall doable genocides within the battle, however didn’t name for a ceasefire.
Tensions between Israel and the UN company for Palestinian refugees rose after Israel alleged that a number of UNRWA workers had been concerned within the October 7 Hamas assault, main some main donor international locations to chop off funding.
Overseas Minister Israel Katz stated on Saturday that Israel needs to make sure that the UN company, with tens of 1000’s of workers within the space, “won’t be a part of the day after” the bloodiest Gaza struggle ever.
Concern has grown over the destiny of civilians in Khan Yunis, the southern hometown of Yahya Sinwar, the pinnacle of Hamas in Gaza and the suspected mastermind of the October 7 assault.
AFPTV footage confirmed 1000’s of civilians, together with girls and youngsters, fleeing town on foot as an Israeli tank loomed behind them.
“They besieged us, so we fled,” stated Tahani al-Najjar, who left Khan Yunis together with her daughter. “We name on the UN to intervene and cease the struggle. Sufficient concern and terror!”
Gaza civil protection spokesman Mahmud Bassal stated the displaced folks needed to endure incessant chilly rain and warned of the “unfold of infectious ailments.”
The Israeli military stated its “forces continued to kill quite a few armed terrorists at shut vary” and raided a weapons depot in Khan Yunis.
The well being ministry in Hamas-run Gaza stated not less than 135 folks had been killed in Khan Yunis in a single day.
The Hamas authorities stated “large tank bombings” focused a refugee camp within the metropolis and Nasser hospital.
Ruling of the UN Courtroom
In a long-awaited ruling, the UN Supreme Courtroom stated Friday that Israel should forestall genocidal acts in Gaza and permit humanitarian help into the slim strip of land that has been relentlessly bombed and besieged for nearly 4 months.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed the case as “scandalous,” whereas Hamas rulers in Gaza applauded the ruling, saying it “contributes to isolating Israel and exposing its crimes in Gaza.”
The choice was based mostly on an pressing request from South Africa, lengthy a supporter of the Palestinian trigger, however a broader judgment on whether or not genocide was dedicated may take years.
“That is the primary time the world is telling Israel that it’s out of line,” stated Maha Yasin, a 42-year-old displaced lady from Gaza.
“What Israel did to us in Gaza for 4 months has by no means occurred in historical past.”
Israel's navy marketing campaign started shortly after the October 7 Hamas assault, which resulted in about 1,140 deaths in Israel, largely civilians, in keeping with an AFP tally of official Israeli figures.
Militants additionally seized about 250 hostages and Israel says about 132 of them are in Gaza, together with the our bodies of not less than 28 useless prisoners.
Israel has vowed to crush Hamas, and Gaza's well being ministry says the Israeli navy offensive has killed not less than 26,257 folks, about 70 p.c of them girls and youngsters.
The military says not less than 220 troopers have been killed since Israel launched its floor operations in Gaza.
Sufferers captured
Because the humanitarian disaster in Gaza grows, the UN says a lot of the estimated 1.7 million Palestinians displaced by the struggle are congregating in Rafah on the southern border with Egypt.
At Khan Yunis Nasser Hospital, the biggest within the besieged metropolis, Medical doctors With out Borders stated surgical capability was “just about non-existent.”
The charity stated the hospital's companies had “collapsed” and the few workers left had been “affected by very low provides that are inadequate to deal with the massive numbers of casualties”.
The top of the World Well being Group, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, stated 350 sufferers and 5,000 displaced folks remained in hospital as combating continued close by.
The Palestinian Purple Crescent stated Israeli tanks attacked Al-Amal Hospital, one of many metropolis's few remaining medical amenities, and it was “besieged with heavy gunfire.”
“There isn’t a longer a well being care system in Gaza,” Medical doctors With out Borders stated.
There have been 300 to 500 sufferers trapped in Nasser Hospital with “war-related accidents akin to open wounds, cuts from explosions, fractures and burns.”
The Israeli navy accuses Hamas of working from tunnels below hospitals in Gaza and utilizing the medical amenities as command facilities.
UN lays off workers
Meirav Eilon Shahar, Israel's ambassador to the UN in Geneva, this week accused the WHO of colluding with Hamas by ignoring Israeli proof of Hamas's “navy use” of hospitals in Gaza.
Tedros rejected the accusation, saying it may “endanger our workers, who threat their lives to serve the weak.”
Relations between Israel and UNRWA deteriorated additional after the UN company stated tanks shelled one in all its shelters in Khan Yunis on Wednesday, killing 13 folks.
UNRWA stated on Friday it had fired a number of workers accused by Israel of involvement within the October 7 assault.
The allegations prompted america, Canada, Australia and Italy to droop funding for the company.
Israel stated it could attempt to forestall UNRWA from working in Gaza after the struggle. Hamas urged the worldwide neighborhood to disregard Israel's “threats,” whereas the Palestinian Authority stated the company wanted “most help” from donors.
Diplomatic efforts have sought elevated help deliveries to Gaza and a ceasefire after Hamas launched dozens of hostages in alternate for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel in November after a week-long cessation of hostilities.
CIA chief William Burns will meet in Paris within the coming days together with his Israeli and Egyptian counterparts, in addition to Qatar's prime minister, to push for a ceasefire, a safety supply advised AFP.
The UN Safety Council will meet on Wednesday to debate the Worldwide Courtroom of Justice's ruling.
