On Day 136 of the ongoing Israeli genocide of the Palestinians in the destroyed and devastated Gaza Strip, the Israeli army continued the firing of missiles and shells on various parts of the coastal enhance, killing and wounding dozens, including women and children and is threatening to expands its onslaught on Khan Younis, in the southern part of the coastal enclave.
The Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza said an eighth Palestinian has died at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis after the Israeli army cut electricity and oxygen supplies.
The Israeli army also bombarded many parts of Khan Younis, exchanged fire with Palestinian resistance fighters, and invaded various areas around the Algerian Specialized Hospital in Abasan, east of Khan Younis.
Furthermore, the Israeli army fired many artillery shells at areas east of Al-Qarara town, north of Khan Younis, in addition to Wadi Al-Salqa and Al-Musaddar village, in the central and southern parts of the Gaza Strip.
In addition, the Israeli Air Force fired missiles at homes and buildings in the Al-Jala’ Street area, in the center of Gaza City.
Many Palestinians were killed and injured, including some who suffered life-threatening wounds, when the army fired a missile at a home east of Deir Al-Balah city, in the central Gaza Strip.
There were casualties in an Israeli bombing on a house east of the city of Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip.
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— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) February 19, 2024
Media sources in Rafah, in the southernmost area of the Gaza Strip, said the army fired missiles and shells at several parts of the city, killing and wounding many Palestinians.
Married and killed in 48 hours.
The Israeli shelling targeted the place where the newlyweds, Maryam AlSayyed Deeb and her husband Abdullah Abu Nahel, were sheltering and killed them along with several members of their families. pic.twitter.com/ksGmWqEsHI
— Diaa Mahmoud | ضياء محمود (@DiaaMahmoud) February 19, 2024
The sources said the Israeli attack killed seven Palestinians, including the newlyweds Abdullah Abu Nahel and his wife, Mariam Sayyed Thieb, who got married just three days ago, in addition killing to at least seven family members, and many who remained under the rubble.
The Israeli army also destroyed and burnt Al-Kalima Publishing House and Library in the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood in Gaza City.
According to Reuters, the Israeli government estimates its full-scale military offensive in the Gaza Strip will last for an additional six to eight weeks, as the Israeli government is still preparing for the ground offensive on Rafah.
Reuters quoted two regional officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that Israel’s military chief believes that this timeframe will “damage the remaining military capabilities of the Hamas movement,” an issue that also paves the way for a new phase of lower-intensity airstrikes and operations by the special forces.
The Qatar-based Al-Jazeera said the Israeli army has extended its operations in southern Gaza, making Rafah city, the southmost area of the Gaza Strip, “the last key city that troops have yet to enter.
It added that “Israel says it is determined to extend its ground operation there despite international alarm over the potential for mass carnage in the city sheltering 1.4 million Palestinians, most of whom have been displaced.”
In related news, the Israeli army said one of its soldiers, Staff Sgt. Simon Shlomov, 20, of the Paratroopers Brigade, was killed in gun battles with Palestinian fighters in the southern part of the Gaza Strip, bringing the number of Israelis killed by Palestinian fighters since October 7 to 1,456, including 548 soldiers and 60 Police officers, in addition to about 3.000 soldiers injured, since October 7. (As per Haaretz)
The Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) said in a statement: “The situation inside the PRCS Al-Amal Hospital is highly dangerous due to a 28-day long siege placed upon it. Further, there have been repeated attacks targeting the hospital, numerous arrests made on our medical and administrative staff, a decrease in fuel reserves used to generate electricity for high-risk patients, and a near exhaustion of food. All these factors threaten the lives of dozens of patients, the wounded, and the PRCS team.
⭕️The situation inside the #PRCS Al-Amal Hospital is highly dangerous due to a 28 day long siege placed upon it. Further, there has been repeated attacks targeting the hospital, numerous arrests made on our medical and administrative staff, a decrease in fuel reserves used to… pic.twitter.com/E0Tfvfk6Bu
— PRCS (@PalestineRCS) February 19, 2024
The Palestinian Health Ministry said the Israeli army “committed 13 massacres against Palestinian families in the Gaza Strip, over the last 24 hours, killing 127 and wounding 205, largely women, children and elderly.
In a statement, Amnesty International said: “Israel must end its brutal occupation of Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, which it has maintained since 1967, said Amnesty International as public hearings begin at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to examine the legal consequences of Israel’s prolonged occupation.”
Amnesty added: “The public hearings are taking place in the Hague from February 19 to 26 after the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution in December 2022 to request an advisory opinion from the ICJ on the legality of Israel’s policies and practices in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) and the consequences of Israel’s conduct for other states and the UN. More than 50 states, the African Union, the Arab League, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation are scheduled to participate in the proceedings.” Read the Full Statement.
The Health Ministry said Israel has now killed more than 28.985 Palestinians, and injured at least 68.883, mostly civilians, including women and children (more than 12.000 children), in several parts of the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023, in addition to more than 8.000 Palestinians, including women and children, who remain missing, largely buried under the rubble of bombarded homes and buildings.
