(MENAFN- The Peninsula) The Peninsula online
Doha, Qatar: Despite growing calls for restraint and for more aid to reach war-stricken Palestinians, Israel showed little sign of modulating its strike in Gaza, that has killed more than 200 in 24 hours, as the Palestinian authorities said on Saturday.
The bombardment is now centred on Gaza City and the southern city of Khan Yunis, where reports of heavy shelling, gray and black smoke rose over the territory.
Meanwhile UNRWA said it“cannot deliver meaningful aid” under intense Israeli bombardments of Gaza after the UN Security Council called for increased access.
As per the casualty figures released today, December 24, 2023, 20,258 have been killed while 53,688 wounded in Gaza and in West Bank 303 have been killed and 3,450 injured.
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[10am Doha Time] Child killed by Israeli drone attack in southern Gaza
A 13-year-old child was killed by an Israeli drone near al-Amal Hospital in Khan Younis, the Palestine Red Crescent Society said.
More than 8,000 children have been killed in Gaza since the Israel-Hamas war began on October 7.
[9am Doha Time] Events in Gaza stem from 'institutionalised impunity'
The UN special rapporteur on the right to housing says events in Gaza stem from“institutionalised impunity” that encompass“war crimes”,“genocide” and“crime against humanity”.
“If the International Criminal Court does not act very soon, we need a special tribunal for Gaza and action by States,” Balakrishnan Rajagopal posted on X.
Despite the mounting evidence and ongoing atrocities, ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan has shown little interest in seriously probing Israel, according to Palestinian officials, victims and legal scholars.
[7:30am Doha Time] Immediate unconditional humanitarian ceasefire must be reached in Gaza: UNRWA
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) underlined that there is a need for immediate ceasefire in Gaza Strip, as well as unhindered access of assistance and unconditional political negotiations.
In a press conference, UNRWA Spokesperson Tamara Alrifai added that it is extremely shocking that politics stands in the way of survival of 2.2 million people in Gaza, stressing the significance of reaching an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza Strip and allow the flow of humanitarian aid with unconditional political negotiations.
In remarks on UNRWA's website, Director of UNRWA Affairs in Gaza Tom White, has so far, said that the Israeli occupation forces issued further evacuation orders to the population in central Gaza ordering them to head to Deir Al Balah to expand the incessant military operation.
People is Gaza are not chess pieces, many of whom were displaced multiple times by the Israeli occupation army which ordered them to head to areas where airstrikes are continuing, White pointed out, stressing that there are no safe locations for Palestinians and nowhere to go.
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