Gaza Under Attack: Civilian Casualties Mount
With the death toll mounting and the humanitarian crisis deepening, the international community must take action to protect the people of Gaza and bring an end to the violence. The conflict has already had a devastating impact on civilians, with women and children bearing the brunt of the attacks.
The Israeli military's deadly attacks on Gaza families have resulted in a high number of civilian casualties, with over 450 people killed on the deadliest 17 days of the war, and 44% of those killed on these days dying alongside a family member.
Analysis of data from Gaza's health ministry reveals a disturbing pattern of strikes on families, with the majority occurring before dawn when families were most likely to be at home and sleeping. Experts in conflict law, including Brian Finucane, have criticized the Israeli military's actions as excessive and disproportionate, highlighting the ability to wait until targets have left their family home before striking.
The conflict-monitoring group Airwars notes that the IDF frequently assassinates targets at night in their family homes, leading to large-scale civilian casualties. Specific incidents, such as the strike on a family home in eastern Rafah that killed 17 family members, including four women and seven children, have been reported. The Israeli military claimed that one of those killed was a Hamas militant, but this could not be independently verified.
The ongoing conflict has led to a severe humanitarian crisis, with Israel's blockade of Gaza resulting in a severe famine. At least 154 deaths have been reported since October 2023, including 7 new deaths from malnutrition. Despite global condemnation, Israel continues to block critical aid deliveries, leaving desperate families to survive on scraps.
The situation in Gaza remains dire, with no end to the war in sight. The number of deaths in Gaza has passed 60,000, and the international community continues to call for an end to the violence and the lifting of the blockade. As the conflict rages on, the people of Gaza remain trapped in a desperate struggle for survival.