More than 21,000 people have been killed in 11 weeks of the war as Israeli forces continue bombing the Gaza Strip, according to Gaza health ministry on December 26, driving the situation in the region “beyond a catastrophe”, as described by the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
Ashraf al-Qudra, the spokesman, reported that 54,918 individuals have sustained injuries in the ongoing and relentless air strikes on the Gaza Strip by the Israeli defense forces.
“At least 241 people were killed and 382 others injured in Israeli attacks in the last 24 hours,” al-Qudra said in a statement.
U.N. officials have indicated that a quarter of the territory’s population is suffering from starvation under Israel’s siege, with limited access to essential supplies. Despite the U.N. Security Council’s recent call to expedite aid deliveries, little change has been observed.
Israel widens offensive
Israel intensified its offensive against Hamas, expanding attacks to central and southern Gaza.
Heavy bombing hit the Bureij refugee camp, Khan Younis, and Rafah, forcing tens of thousands to seek refuge.
Residents described a night of intense airstrikes, with fears growing for other areas, including Khan Younis and central Gaza’s refugee camps.
“It was a night of hell. We haven’t seen such bombing since the start of the war,” said Rami Abu Mosab, speaking from the Bureij camp, where he has been sheltering since fleeing his home in northern Gaza.
Due to the expanding ground offensive, 85% of Gaza’s 2.3 million population have fled their homes, cramming into increasingly smaller areas. This mass displacement is reminiscent of the 1948 Nakba, or catastrophe, for many Palestinians.
The recent evacuation directives from the military apply to a central Gaza region that previously housed nearly 90,000 residents while currently providing refuge for over 61,000 displaced individuals, primarily from the northern areas, as reported by the U.N. Humanitarian Office.
Israeli army says war to go on for months
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has consistently pledged to continue the campaign against Hamas, classified as a “terrorist” organization by both the United States and the European Union.
Israeli army chief Herzi Halevi on December 26 stated that the conflict with Hamas, ongoing since the Oct 7 attacks, will extend for “many more months.”
This war’s objectives are essential and not simple to achieve,” the armed forces chief said. “Therefore, the war will continue for many more months.”
“There are no magic solutions, there are no shortcuts in dismantling a terrorist organization, only determined and persistent fighting,” Halevi said.