Israeli strike on Gaza home leaves bodies ‘Torn Apart’
An Israeli airstrike on a home in northern Gaza on Sunday morning left dozens of Palestinians dead, including many children. The attack, which hit the Alloush family home in Jabalia, resulted in at least 25 deaths, including 13 children, and more than 30 others were injured, according to Gaza’s civil defense agency.
Abdullah al-Najjar, a relative of the victims, recounted the horrific scene of devastation. He described arriving at the site after a massive explosion, saying, “When we arrived here, all the bodies were torn apart.” Holding up pieces of pita bread, Najjar questioned, “What’s the benefit of a loaf of bread if there is no safety and peace?” The Alloush family had been preparing for breakfast when the strike occurred, and many others had been sheltering in their home due to ongoing bombing in the area. “But they all died,” Najjar added.
At the site, rescuers searched through the debris, finding personal items, including a child’s stuffed animal, as they combed through the rubble for survivors. The destruction was so severe that one elderly man was carried out of the wreckage in a wheelchair by five people, the remains of the house still around them.
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The Gaza Strip’s civil defense agency confirmed that 25 people were killed in the strike, and five others died in a separate attack on Gaza City’s Sabra district. Many others were still trapped under rubble, with rescue operations continuing in the aftermath of the devastating attack.
The Hamas group condemned the airstrike as a “massacre,” describing the Alloush family home as crowded with over 50 innocent civilians, most of whom were women and children. Many of those killed had been displaced from the Jabalia refugee camp, according to the statement from Hamas.
Since October 6, 2023, Israel’s military has been carrying out intensive air and ground assaults in northern Gaza, targeting sites it claims are being used by Hamas militants. Israel’s military spokesperson said that the airstrike targeted a site where terrorists were operating and posed a threat to Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) troops in the area. However, local residents and relatives of the victims vehemently denied the claim, insisting that the individuals targeted were innocent civilians with no ties to militant groups.
The death toll from Israel’s retaliatory campaign in Gaza has now surpassed 43,000, with the majority of casualties being civilians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. The UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) has condemned the mounting civilian deaths, reporting that women and children make up nearly 70 percent of the verified fatalities. The OHCHR also expressed alarm over the humanitarian crisis, with an escalating siege on Gaza leading to mass starvation, illness, and disease.
Israel has strongly rejected the UN’s report, accusing the OHCHR of bias and claiming that all assessments of the situation in Gaza have been flawed. Meanwhile, as the conflict rages on, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues to deteriorate, with reports warning of an imminent famine.
Aid deliveries to Gaza remain limited, with fewer shipments reaching the area than at any time since the conflict began in October 2023. A recent report from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) has issued an alert, warning of the substantial likelihood of famine in Gaza due to rapidly worsening conditions.
While Israel’s military has continued its assault on Gaza, there has been little progress in improving the delivery of humanitarian aid, despite warnings from the United States and the United Nations. The situation in Gaza remains dire, and the world watches as the war continues to claim the lives of countless civilians.
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