On Wednesday, Day 285 of the ongoing genocide in the Gaza Strip, Israeli missiles and shells targeted various parts of the devastated coastal enclave, killing and wounding dozens of Palestinians.
Four Palestinians were killed, and many were injured when the army fired artillery shells at the Al-Awda Junction, in addition to the Yibna and the Shaboura refugee camps, in the center of Rafah city, in Gaza’s southmost part.
The Israeli army also fired a missile at a home, in the western part of the Nusseirat refugee camp, in central Gaza, killing an elderly man, and wounding many Palestinians.
The army also fired barrages of live rounds at the Al-Mughraqa, Az-Zahra’, and Rashid Street, north of the refugee camp, causing many casualties.
UNRWA Commissioner-General, Philippe Lazzarini, said at least eight schools were hit in the Gaza Strip in the last 10 days by the Israeli occupation, including six UNRWA schools.
On his X account, Lazzarini stated, “An almost daily occurrence. At least eight schools hit in the last 10 days, including six UNRWA schools,”, and added that “The war robbed the girls and boys in Gaza of their childhood and education. “Schools are not a target.”
An almost daily occurrence.
At least eight schools hit in the last 10 days, including six @UNRWA schools.The war robbed the girls and boys in #Gaza of their childhood & education.
Schools must never be used for fighting or military purposes by any party to the conflict.… pic.twitter.com/nJE5hfy9df
— Philippe Lazzarini (@UNLazzarini) July 17, 2024
He also said that the blatant and ongoing disregard for International Law is ongoing, and added that “All rules of war have been broken in Gaza.”
Lazzarini published a photo showing the destruction of one of UNRWA schools after being targeted by Israeli shelling. The school is overcrowded with internally displaced persons seeking refugee there.
It is worth mentioning that, since the Israeli army destroyed and occupied the Rafah Border Terminal with Egypt 72 days ago, 292 patients and wounded Palestinians have died while waiting to be allowed to leave the coastal region.
“What is happening in Gaza is going down as the most documented genocide in history.”
Palestinian UN Ambassador Riyad Mansour addressed a UNSC meeting on the Middle East. pic.twitter.com/ECJiOlo96j
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) July 17, 2024
Also, more than 3.500 patients and wounded Palestinians in several hospitals in the Gaza Strip, are still waiting to be allowed to leave Gaza, while the Health Ministry stated that there are more than 25.000 referral applications for patients and injured Palestinians registered at the Health Ministry, but the closure of the Rafah crossing prevents them from traveling for treatment, which poses a risk of death and threatens their survival.
It is worth mentioning that the health system in the Gaza Strip has been a constant target of the Israeli army to overthrow and destroy the entire healthcare system, by occupying hospitals and medical centers, targeting, destroying, or burning and detonating them completely, such was what the army did in the Shifa Medical Complex, Nasser Medical Complex, Al-Rantisi Hospital, Al-Nasr Hospital, the Eye Hospital, the Indonesian Hospital, Kamal Adwan Hospital, Al-Awda Hospital, Al-Quds Hospital, Abu Yousef Najjar Hospital, the Gaza European Hospital, and other hospitals that are now out of service.
Besides shutting down and bombing hospitals, the army forced medical staff to leave, and killed at least 500 medical staff, in addition to abducting more than 310 medical staff.
On Its part, UNICEF stated that %90 of the Palestinians, including children, women, and seniors, in the Gaza Strip have been displaced since October 2023.
UNICEF added that the places where the Palestinians are forced to move to lack necessities and safety.
Israel has now killed at least 38.713 Palestinians and injured more than 89.166, mostly women and children, in addition to the thousands of missing Palestinians, largely under the rubble, on destroyed streets, and in alleys, across the Gaza Strip.
