On Saturday, the Israeli army continued its onslaught and indiscriminate bombing campaigns on the Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip, killing dozens of Palestinians and wounding hundreds, mostly children and women, in several parts of the coastal enclave.
At least twenty Palestinians, including children and two babies, were killed and dozens injured when the Israeli occupation army fired several missiles and artillery shells at areas in Khan Younis, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip.
The occupation army fired missiles and shells at the Ma’en area, east of Khan Younis, causing many casualties.
The israelis commit more massacres in Khan Younis & Rafah, killing several children & two babies, sleeping in tents #AirDropAidForGaza pic.twitter.com/TtYUxNhHgT
— Sarah Wilkinson (@swilkinsonbc) January 13, 2024
The army also fired a missile at a vehicle for the Palestinian Telecommunications Company (PalTel) in the Al-Balad area, in the center of Khan Younis, killing at least two Palestinians and wounding many others.
Medics and rescue operators were unable to enter bombarded areas due to the massive Israeli destruction of buildings and infrastructure and the constant Israeli bombing.
In Gaza City, at least four Palestinians were killed and many injured, in addition to more than twenty who remained under the rubble and are presumed dead when the army fired shells at a home for the Qassem family in Nafaq Street.
In the Central Gaza Strip, Israeli missiles killed at least three Palestinians and wounded many others in the Sawarha area, west of the Nusseirat refugee camp.
Many Palestinians were killed and injured by Israeli missiles and shells near the Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir Al-Balah, in central Gaza.
Also in Deir Al-Balah, the army fired a missile at a bus transporting Palestinians fleeing their homes, and trying to seek shelter elsewhere, causing many casualties.
Despite extensive Israeli bombing and the massive destruction, the Palestinian resistance in Gaza continued to exchange fire with the invading soldiers and to destroy Israeli tanks and armored vehicles.
مشاهد جديدة حصلت عليها الجزيرة لما قالت كتائب القسام إنها للمعارك الضارية ضد الجيش الإسرائيلي في خان يونس#حرب_غزة #الأخبار pic.twitter.com/MFazh3Txeo
— قناة الجزيرة (@AJArabic) January 13, 2024
The Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, said it fired rockets at Israeli colonies across the perimeter fence and that its fighters killed and injured many soldiers in the Gaza Strip, in addition to destroying six Merkava Israeli tanks, troop carrier vehicle, a bulldozer a military helicopter during the battles in Khan Younis.
Al-Qassam’s statement came despite the extensive and concentrated Israeli bombing of several parts of Khan Younis.
The Israeli army confirmed, Saturday, the death of a soldier during exchanges of fire with Palestinian resistance fighters in central Gaza.
Israel has officially announced the death of 521 soldiers and officers since October 7, while Palestinian resistance groups in Gaza said the declared numbers do not reflect the actual, much higher number of killed soldiers, especially since the ground invasion of Gaza on October 27.
The World Food Program said at least 577.000 Palestinians in Gaza are experiencing catastrophic or famine levels of hunger, adding that 2.2 million people are in crisis or worse levels of acute food insecurity in Gaza.
It stated: “A sharp escalation of the conflict in Gaza has left the entire population of 2.2 million people in crisis or worse levels of acute food insecurity. One in four households in Gaza, more than half a million people, are facing catastrophic hunger conditions. Hundreds of thousands are crammed into overcrowded shelters and hospitals, with food and water running out.”
The Palestinian Health Ministry said Israel is still deliberately targeting medics and medical centers, including bombings and abductions, leading to dozens of deaths.
In a press conference in front of the Shifa Medical Center in Gaza, the Health Ministry said the health and services infrastructure in Rafah, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip, have collapsed, as they cannot accommodate the needs of 1.3 million Palestinians, some are from the area, but most are families that fled northern and central Gaza Strip.
The Health Ministry added that only six ambulances are still operational in Gaza and that hospitals are struggling to keep providing basic services, including Urgent Care and pediatric services, especially incubators for premature babies.
The Palestinian Health Ministry said Israel has now killed more than 23.700 Palestinians, including 9600 children, and injured at least 60.000 in the Gaza Strip since October 7, and added that at least 8000 Palestinians remain missing, largely buried under the rubble of bombarded homes and buildings.
