Salamah Marouf, Head of the Government Information Office in Gaza, stated that Israel’s occupation is waging a war of starvation on the besieged population of the Gaza Strip, indiscriminately affecting residents in the north and south alike. Marouf warned that signs of malnutrition and dehydration are emerging among children in Gaza. He noted that the aid entering the Gaza Strip so far is equivalent to what used to enter in a single day before the Israeli occupation aggression, emphasizing that these aid shipments do not meet the real and urgent needs of the people.

Water and Electricity

In Beirut, Hamas leader Basem Naeem stated that potable water in Gaza is now over 90% scarce. Naeem, in a joint press conference with the movement’s representative in Lebanon, Osama Hamdan, added that Gaza residents often resort to seawater, leading to health issues. He accused the Israeli occupation of intentionally cutting off water to the Gaza Strip, a crime against humanity. He expressed shame on the international community for allowing the occupation to use water as leverage against Gaza’s residents. Naeem also mentioned that Gazans are facing a crisis in securing bread due to the occupation’s bombardment of bakeries.

He accused the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) of collusion with Israel by neglecting its established role in international law, calling on the global community and the United Nations not to succumb to the occupier’s will. Naeem highlighted that 2% of Gaza’s population has become either martyrs, wounded, or missing.

Jalal Ismail, the head of the Palestinian Energy Authority in Gaza, stated that 70% of the electricity distribution networks in the Gaza Strip have been destroyed due to the ongoing Israeli occupation aggression. Ismail added that the losses in the electricity sector in Gaza are estimated at over $80 million.

Hospital Shutdowns

The hospitals in the Gaza Strip continue to suffer from a complete absence of fuel, further exacerbating the humanitarian crisis. The Director-General of Hospitals in the Gaza Strip, Dr. Mohammed Zakout, has issued a stark warning, emphasizing the dire situation in the region. Specifically, he highlighted the imminent risk to children’s lives due to the forced evacuation of hospitals, notably the Rantisi and Al-Awda Hospitals. Moreover, he underscored the alarming lack of a safe space at the Al-Shifa Medical Complex, making it impossible to access the bodies of the martyrs.

He also mentioned that critical issues, including the hazardous accumulation of garbage and medical waste, a shortage of water, and persistent power outages, pose a severe threat to everyone’s well-being. He mentioned that approximately 1,500 displaced individuals in the Al-Shifa Medical Complex are in immediate danger. Urgently, a plea is made to the Egyptian authorities to organize an ambulance convoy for the transportation of 650 patients without adhering to the current bureaucratic mechanisms. Meanwhile,

Destruction of Housing Units

In another development, the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of expression, Irene Khan, revealed that Israeli occupation attacks on Gaza have resulted in the destruction or damage of 45% of all housing units in the Gaza Strip. Khan added that this has led to the internal displacement of 1.5 million people and the death of over 10,000.

The UN official described the destruction of civilian homes and infrastructure in Gaza as an international war crime. Irene Khan called on the world to act immediately to end the widespread attacks on civilian homes and infrastructure in Gaza, which have incurred a high cost in lives.

The Ministry of Health in Gaza stated that the toll of the Israeli occupation aggression on the Gaza Strip reached 11,451 martyrs, with 80% of them being women, children, and the elderly. The Ministry affirmed that the occupation forces deliberately terrorized the healthcare system in Gaza and its workers, warning of a major health catastrophe shortly.

The government media office in Gaza reported on Tuesday, November 14, 2023, that 25 hospitals and 52 health centres were out of service as a result of the Israeli occupation aggression. Moreover, the Israeli occupation killed 202 health personnel and 36 civil defence personnel, in addition to wounding more than 200 health personnel. More than 60 ambulances were attacked, 55 of which were damaged and put out of service.

The Director of Al-Shifa Medical Complex, Mihammad Abu Salmiya, has asserted that dozens of martyrs have been buried in a mass grave on the hospital grounds due to the continued Israeli occupation siege and aggression on the Strip for the 39^th day. Abu Salmia said that at least 179 bodies were buried in a mass grave at the hospital yesterday, explaining that among them were 7 children who died due to power outages.

Thousands of patients require life-saving medical care, including those in need of dialysis, advanced cancer treatment, insulin for diabetic patients, and over 50,000 pregnant women facing challenges in accessing healthcare.

With the ongoing power outage and fuel shortages, all sectors, especially the healthcare sector, are on the verge of collapse, tantamount to a death sentence for the wounded and sick. The scarcity of drinking water, unavailability of personal care supplies, and the deterioration of parts of the sewage system led to the spread of infectious diseases, signaling an impending health catastrophe, especially with the continuous blockade of water and medicine.

The Ministry of Health in Gaza has declared the collapse of the healthcare system due to the acute shortage of medical supplies, their prevention from reaching Gaza, and the depletion of healthcare supplies and medications. Hospitals cannot admit any more patients or wounded due to the lack of resources and beds, reaching a point where surgeries are performed by the light of mobile phones and without anesthesia, creating a tragic situation beyond human imagination.

Despite the psychological and physical pressures and the lack of resources, medical and healthcare professionals continue to provide their services, resorting to prioritization in treatment due to the catastrophic conditions. Hence, the Ministry of Health in Gaza has called upon the retired medical staff to join the workforce due to the shortage of personnel immediately, the increasing numbers of wounded and sick, and the difficulties in accessing treatment areas due to roads destroyed by bombings.

Thousands of Palestinian displaced families who had been sheltering at Al-Shifa, along with patients and wounded who were not able to move or escape, had been trapped inside the hospital under heavy bombing and shootings by the Israeli occupation troops surrounding the hospital.

The Israeli occupation forces last night raided Al-Shifa Hospitals, firing smoke bombs into the emergency department before carrying out armed military intrusion. Doctors said not a single shot was fired from within the medical complex, but they heard Israeli forces shooting into it everywhere. So far, it’s unclear if or how many people were killed or injured in the raid, as communications channels were blocked as it was taking place.

These heinous crimes of the Israeli occupation’s ongoing aggression, including the deliberate targeting of medical facilities, are blatant violations of international humanitarian law, ethical values, and principles that cannot be ignored or tolerated.

Human Rights Watch stated, in conjunction with the release of a document on white phosphorus, that Israel’s use of white phosphorus in military operations in Gaza and Lebanon poses a serious and long-term risk to civilians. Human Rights Watch examined videos taken in Lebanon and Gaza on October 10 and 11, 2023, respectively, showing multiple airbursts of white phosphorus artillery over the port of Gaza City and two locations along the Palestinian-Lebanese border. They conducted interviews with individuals who described the attack on Gaza.

White phosphorus, which can be used for marking, signalling, obscuring vision, or as a weapon to ignite fires that burn people and objects, has a wide-reaching impact, causing severe burns and long-lasting suffering. Its illegal and indiscriminate use in urban areas with high population density, as seen in Gaza, exacerbates the risks faced by civilians and violates the prohibition imposed by international humanitarian law on unnecessary civilian harm.

According to Lama Fakih, Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch, “Each time it is used in densely populated areas, white phosphorus poses a significant risk of causing painful burns and lifelong suffering. When white phosphorus is illegally airburst in populated urban areas, it can burn homes and cause serious harm to civilians.”

On October 11, Human Rights Watch conducted a phone interview with two individuals from the port area in Gaza City who described witnessing strikes consistent with the use of white phosphorus. One of them was in the street at the time, while the other was in a nearby administrative building. Both described continuous air raids before seeing explosions in the sky, followed by what they described as white lines descending to the ground. They estimated that the attack occurred between 11:30 AM and 1 PM. They both described a choking smell. The person in his office said the smell was so strong that he went to the window to see what was happening and filmed the strike.

Human Rights Watch reviewed the videos and confirmed that they were filmed in the port of Gaza City and identified the munitions used in the airstrike as 155mm artillery white phosphorus shells that airburst. Other videos posted on social media and verified by Human Rights Watch show the same location. Dense white smoke and a strong garlic-like odour are characteristics of white phosphorus.

Human Rights Watch also reviewed two video clips dated October 10 from two locations near the Palestinian-Lebanese border. Both show airburst 155mm artillery white phosphorus shells used apparently as smoke screens, signals, or markers.

White phosphorus ignites upon contact with atmospheric oxygen and continues to burn until deprived of oxygen or consumed. Its chemical reaction can generate intense heat (about 815 degrees Celsius), light, and smoke.

Upon contact, white phosphorus can burn people thermally and chemically, even reaching the bone because it is highly soluble in fat and, therefore, in human flesh. White phosphorus fragments can worsen wounds even after treatment and can enter the bloodstream, causing multiple organ failure. Burns previously dressed can reignite when dressings are removed, and wounds are re-exposed to oxygen. Even relatively minor burns can be deadly. For survivors, extensive scarring can tighten muscular tissue and cause physical disabilities. The shock of the attack, the painful treatment that follows, and the changing appearance of scars can lead to psychological trauma and social exclusion.

Human Rights Watch stated that Israel’s use of white phosphorus in densely populated areas in Gaza violates the duty to take all feasible precautions to avoid civilian harm, as stipulated by international humanitarian law. This concern is exacerbated by the technology shown in videos of airburst white phosphorus shells. The explosion of airburst white phosphorus shells scatters 116 burning fragments soaked in the substance across an area with a diameter ranging from 125 to 250 meters, depending on the height of the explosion, thereby exposing more civilians and civilian structures to potential damage compared to ground-based localized explosions.

Israel’s use of white phosphorus comes amid a brutal aggression on the Gaza Strip since October 7, killing more than 8,000 martyrs, including 3,324 children, 2,062 women, and 460 elderly, in Israeli barbaric airstrikes. Additionally, 20,242 civilians were injured to varying degrees. Israeli occupation forces cut off electricity, water, fuel, food, and internet access to Gaza, in violation of the prohibition imposed by international humanitarian law on collective punishment, worsening the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza under more than 16 years of Israel’s suffocating siege.

On the nineteenth day of the Israeli aggression in Gaza

• The Israeli Occupation’s efforts to depict the Palestinian resistance as akin to ISIS failed, as evident in the statement of released Israeli captive Yocheved Lifshitz, who countered the Occupation’s narrative by highlighting the humane treatment she experienced while in captivity. The fact that the Israeli media criticized Mrs Lifshitz’s statements, which were not subject to censorship, underscores the deceit and manipulation at play.

• Due to the Israeli Occupation’s blatant violations of international and humanitarian laws, the already struggling healthcare system in the besieged Gaza Strip, under a 17-year blockade, has collapsed.

• In a separate incident, Palestinian detainee Arif Hamdan, aged 24, was subjected to systematic torture in Israeli Occupation prisons and died two days after his arrest. This tragic event followed the martyrdom of prisoner Omar Daraghmeh, part of a widespread arrest campaign that has affected over 1,200 Palestinian citizens in the West Bank since the start of the aggression.

• The Israeli Occupation has intensified its direct attacks on food security in Gaza, including preventing the entry of food supplies and deliberately targeting bakeries and food stores.

• The amount of explosives dropped on Gaza has exceeded 12,000 tons, equivalent to the size of the nuclear bomb the USA used on Hiroshima. Considering that Gaza’s area is only 365 square kilometres, this translates to 33 tons dropped per square kilometre.

• The scarcity of electricity, water, and fuel means that the amount of water available to Gaza residents is less than a quarter of their daily water requirement, roughly half a litre per person.

• Continuous Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) bombardment of homes and families has resulted in more than 37 targeted families, leading to 4,077 martyrs (representing 74% of the total number of martyrs).

• In one day alone, the intensive bombardment of Gaza resulted in 756 casualties, including 344 children and over 159 women and elderly individuals, along with 1,142 injuries, 70% of whom are children, women, and elders.

• The cumulative number of martyrs since the onset of the Israeli aggression until 11:59 pm yesterday reached 6,547, comprising 2,704 children (41% of total martyrs) and 1,741 women and elderly individuals (27% of martyrs), not including those still trapped under the rubble.

• The total number of injured individuals since the beginning of the aggression until 11:59 pm yesterday reached 17,439, with 5,770 children (33% of total injuries) and 5,205 women and elderly individuals (30% of injuries). There are still many individuals at risk, and this figure does not encompass those trapped under the rubble.

• The Israeli Occupation is intensifying its aggression against the Palestinian people in the West Bank, erecting 468 checkpoints that hinder movement between Palestinian villages, resulting in the martyrdom of 98 individuals, injuries to over 1,773, and the detention of 1,235 people since the commencement of the ongoing aggression. Additionally, Israeli settlers’ assaults have increased to 232.

We call upon Arab and Muslim Ummah and the global community to take a firm and unambiguous stance in supporting the Palestinian resistance within international organizations. It is imperative to hold the international community accountable for its failure to implement UN resolutions aimed at a just resolution to the Palestinian issue, including the right of refugees to return, the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, and exposing the false narrative propagated by the Israeli Occupation. Furthermore, we encourage these countries to reject any international resolution that compromises the Palestinian people’s right to resist the occupation, which lies at the heart of the region’s instability, using all available means. It is essential to activate international laws that recognize and uphold this right. The stated and unstated objectives of the ongoing Israeli Occupation’s aggression will ultimately prove futile in the face of the unwavering determination of our people and their resistance.

On the 18^th  Day of the Israeli Genocide in Gaza

• On the eighteenth day of the Israeli aggression in Gaza, the Israeli Occupation is accused of perpetrating genocide against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip. The Western countries are complicit in these actions by providing political support, which has been ongoing since the occupation’s establishment on Palestinian land in previous decades.

• Additionally, the Israeli Occupation Authorities are blamed for the killing of Hamas member Omar Daraghmeh, who was killed in their custody within a week of his detention, even though he had no prior health issues. The responsibility for his murder is placed directly on the Israeli Occupation.

• The Gaza Strip is facing severe challenges, including power shortages, a lack of fuel for generators, and shortages of medicines and medical supplies. As a result, 12 hospitals in Gaza, including Beit Hanoun Hospital, Martyr Muhammad Al-Durrah Hospital, Happy Yemen Hospital, International Eye Hospital, and others, are completely non-operational. Moreover, 32 primary healthcare centres are closed for the same reasons.

• Hospital bed occupancy rates in Gaza have exceeded capacity, with rates reaching 112% in the Gaza Strip’s hospitals and 147% in the largest hospital, Al-Shifa Hospital. This has forced the treatment of patients and the wounded in tents and hospital corridors.

• Since the beginning of the Israeli aggression, exhausted Gaza hospitals have performed over 2,600 emergency surgeries, significantly more than their capacity can handle. These surgeries took place in six hospitals, with the majority (38%) at Al-Shifa Hospital.

• Furthermore, there have been continued Israeli bombardments of homes and families, resulting in more than 644 targeted families and 4,294 casualties, constituting 74% of the total number of casualties.

• The situation is dire, with 704 citizens losing their lives in a single day due to 400 raids, while 1,024 individuals were injured, of which 70% were children, women, and the elderly. The total number of casualties since the aggression’s outset is staggering, with 5,719 casualties, including 2,360 children and 1,585 women and elders.

• The Israeli Occupation’s aggression extends to the West Bank, where 468 checkpoints hinder movement between Palestinian villages, leading to 98 casualties, over 1,773 injuries, and 1,235 detentions since the start of the Israeli aggression. Additionally, settler assaults have reached 232 against Palestinian people.

In a press statement, Salamah Ma’rouf, the Head of the Government’s Media Office, stated that the deliberate targeting of civilians by the Nazi occupation reflects their political, security, and military bankruptcy. He also expressed concern about the international community’s silence, which has emboldened the occupation to continue its aggression and urged the world to take action. Marouf highlighted the ongoing genocide and ethnic cleansing in Gaza, emphasizing the need for immediate intervention to stop the humanitarian crisis. He criticized the failure of international resolutions to address the situation and questioned the application of international laws and values when it comes to Palestinian rights. Marouf stressed that the world is closely watching the Israeli occupation’s crimes against humanity and called for a reevaluation of the international system’s credibility and countries’ commitment to human rights.

• On the seventeenth day of the Israeli aggression in Gaza, the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) escalated their operations against Palestinian civilians due to their inability to counter the resistance. Children were the most affected, accounting for 41% of the casualties and 33% of the injuries. Women and the elderly were the second-largest group, representing 26.3% of casualties and 28% of injuries. More than half of the missing individuals under the rubble are children, while women and the elderly make up 32%.

• To deal with the overcrowded morgues in hospitals, a new mass grave was opened to bury 48 unidentified individuals, bringing the total to 149. About 45% of housing units in Gaza were damaged, with 17,000 destroyed completely and over 12,000 rendered uninhabitable. Approximately 150,000 housing units suffered moderate to partial damage.

• Over 1.4 million people have been displaced due to direct targeting and continued indiscriminate bombings, which is 60% of Gaza’s population. Many found refuge in shelters, while others sought refuge with friends and relatives.

• The IOF continued to target healthcare personnel, resulting in the martyrdom of 57 doctors, nurses, and paramedics, with 100 more injured. They also targeted 25 ambulances in service.

• All neonatal units in Gaza face a severe shortage of life-saving medicines, and the imminent fuel shortage may lead to ventilator failure, risking the lives of 144 newborns.

• With continued attacks on homes and families, the number of targeted families has exceeded 597, resulting in 3,813 casualties.

• On Monday, October 23, 2023, there were 436 casualties, including 182 children and more than 123 women and the elderly, in addition to 1,028 injured, with 70% being children, women, and the elderly.

• As of 11:59 pm yesterday, the total number of martyrs since the start of the aggression was 5,087, including 2,055 children (40.4% of the total) and 1,336 women and the elderly (26.3%). This count does not include those still under the rubble. The total number of injured reached 15,273, with 4,992 children (33% of the total) and 4,276 women and the elderly (28% of the injured). Many remain in danger, and this count excludes those under the rubble.

• The Israeli Occupation has also escalated aggression in the West Bank, resulting in 98 martyrs, more than 1,773 injured, and 1,235 detentions since the beginning of the ongoing aggression.

On the seventeenth day of the “Israeli” genocide war, the Islamic Resistance

Movement (HAMAS) affirms that:

• The international community must bear responsibility for halting these genocidal acts by the Israeli Occupation Forces, which continue to occur under international watch.

• Since the international community has been ineffective in implementing resolutions related to Palestinian rights, including the right of return and self-determination, Palestinians have the right to resist the occupation, which has endured for 76 years.

• The Palestinian people will persist in their resistance to defend their rights, which have been denied for nearly eight decades, and stand united against oppression.

Humanitarian Crisis Unfolds as Israeli Occupation Continues Aggression in Gaza and the West Bank

• On the sixteenth day of the genocidal war in Gaza, following 16 days of intense warfare, the Israeli Occupation is committing crimes against over 2.35 million citizens. They are systematically targeting and killing civilians, subjecting them to inhumane living conditions aimed at eradicating the population in Gaza. This includes depriving them of essential necessities like water, medicine, food, and electricity.

• The living conditions in the already besieged Gaza Strip remain dire, and the 20 aid trucks that recently entered the Strip are far from meeting the minimum requirements. During the siege, 500 trucks used to enter Gaza daily, so these 20 trucks covered only 0.25% of the basic needs.

• The Israeli Occupation has intensified its attacks on markets, which already suffer from a severe shortage of food supplies. The Nuseirat and Khan Yunis markets were targeted, resulting in numerous casualties and the destruction of large portions of these markets. Additionally, 15 gatherings of citizens in markets and near bakeries were documented as being targeted.

• For 16 consecutive days, the Israeli Occupation has been notably targeting children, with 1,873 killed and more than 4,600 wounded, while over 730 children are still missing, many of them buried under the rubble.

• Places of worship have not been spared, with 31 mosques destroyed and severe damage to 10 others. The Greek Orthodox Church and three other churches were also damaged.

• More than a third of the buildings in Gaza have been damaged, with over 15,000 housing units completely destroyed and 13,000 severely damaged. As a result of the continued bombings on safe homes and families, the number of targeted families has exceeded 574, resulting in 3,603 casualties, including 83 families with more than 10 members among the martyrs.

• The number of casualties just in the most recent day reached 266 citizens, including 117 children and more than 87 women and elderly individuals, in addition to 684 injuries, 71% of which are children, women, and elderly.

• Since the start of the aggression, there have been 4,651 casualties, including 1,873 children (40% of the total), and 1,390 women and elderly (30% of the casualties). This count does not include those still trapped under rubble.

• Since the beginning of the aggression, the number of injured individuals has reached 14,245, including 4,604 children (32% of the total) and 4,410 women and elderly (31% of the injured). Many injured individuals are still in danger, and this doesn’t account for those still trapped under the rubble.

• The number of missing individuals, as of the most recent data, is 1,500 citizens, most of whom are still believed to be trapped under debris.

• In addition to Gaza, the Israeli Occupation is escalating its aggression in the West Bank, leading to 92 casualties, over 1,400 injuries, and the arrest of 1,250 individuals since the start of the ongoing aggression.

On the sixteenth day of the Israeli aggression, the Islamic Resistance Movement (HAMAS) stated:

• Despite the brutal actions of the Israeli Occupation against Palestinian civilians, including the use of internationally prohibited weapons, we remain committed to Islamic and humanitarian principles and international agreements regarding civilians in our custody. We ensure their humane treatment and release without charges as soon as security conditions allow.

• There will be no negotiations or talks about captured enemy combatants until the aggression ceases.

• Our people will never surrender or raise the white flag; victory is our goal.

Continuing Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza: Urgent Calls for International Action

• On the fifteenth day of the Israeli aggression in Gaza, the genocide against its 2.35 million citizens continues. This ongoing crime has targeted various aspects of life, including infrastructure, service institutions, hospitals, schools, universities, banks, bakeries, and roads. Additionally, entire neighbourhoods have been destroyed.

• The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) have targeted more than 135,000 residential buildings, which represent 33% of the structures in the Gaza Strip. Of these, over 15,000 residential units have been completely destroyed, and more than 12,000 units have been severely damaged and are no longer habitable.

• The number of missing individuals is still rising, with over 1,400 people reported missing, including 725 children, most of whom are believed to be trapped under the rubble.

• The IOF has also continued to target educational institutions, with 160 schools affected. The severe shortage of civil defence equipment, along with the direct targeting of civil defence workers by the IOF, has impeded rescue efforts and increased Palestinian casualties.

• The IOF’s bombardment of homes and families has resulted in over 550 targeted families, leading to 3,353 martyrs, including 80 families with more than 10 members among the victims.

• In just one day, the number of martyrs reached 248 citizens, including 95 children, more than 83 women, and elderly individuals and 399 injured, with 66% being children, women, and elderly.

• Since the beginning of the aggression, there have been 4,385 martyrs, including 1,756 children (40% of the total), and 1,315 women and elders (30% of the martyrs). These figures do not include those still trapped under the rubble.

• The number of injured individuals since the start of the aggression has reached 13,561, including 4,378 children (32% of the total) and 4,250 women and elders (31% of the injured). Many of the injured are still in danger, and this count does not include those trapped under the rubble.

• On Friday, October 20, 2023, a woman and her daughter, both holding American citizenship, were handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) following a decision by the Hamas leadership to close the file of civilians in their custody if appropriate security conditions are met.

• Furthermore, the Israeli Occupation has continued to directly target Palestinian people in the West Bank, resulting in 88 martyrs, more than 1,684 injured, and the arrest of 1,145 individuals since the beginning of the ongoing aggression.

As the relentless Zionist aggression persists, bolstered by unwavering American-Western support that often employs double standards, discriminates between different communities and faiths when it comes to human rights, and unjustly applies international law and humanitarian principles, we earnestly urge the global community to rectify this imbalance and advocate for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people. We implore the international community to work towards the realization of the Palestinian people’s rightful aspirations, including the establishment of an independent Palestinian state encompassing the entire Palestinian territory, with al-Quds as its capital.

Relentless Israeli Aggression in Gaza: Tragedy Unfolds, Historic Church Targeted

Israeli forces continue their relentless aggression on the Gaza Strip for the fourteenth consecutive day, with a focus on residential areas and civilian facilities, resulting in widespread violence and devastating casualties among Palestinian families. According to the Palestinian Health Ministry’s recent report on Friday, the death toll in Gaza has surpassed 4,100, and the number of wounded individuals now exceeds 13,000. These figures represent a catastrophic increase from the previous day when the death toll stood at 3,800. Simultaneously, in the West Bank, the Ministry reported that the total number of Palestinians killed by Israeli gunfire since October 7 has reached 81, with 13 lives lost in a single day between Thursday and Friday in Tulkarm’s Nour Shams camp, including five children.

The Gaza Strip has witnessed a devastating series of attacks, with the Israeli occupation being accused of embarking on a campaign that poses a grave threat to the minority Christian population there, estimated to be around 1,000 people. One of the most alarming incidents involved the bombing of a 1,700-year-old church, one of the oldest in the region. This act not only targeted a religious site but also the sanctuary where civilian refugees sought safety. The attack resulted in numerous injuries and casualties, including the loss of entire families. The Greek Orthodox Monastery of Saint Porphyrius, housing individuals from various religious backgrounds, was a place of refuge for hundreds. Tragically, this underscores the indiscriminate nature of the Israeli occupation’s attacks on residential structures, pushing the residents of Gaza to seek safety in churches, mosques, and schools, only to witness these sanctuaries being bombed.

The Ministry of Interior in Gaza has officially reported a distressing incident where Israeli occupation forces executed a devastating attack, resulting in the loss of lives and injuries to a considerable number of displaced individuals inside the historic Greek Orthodox Church of St. Porphyrius in Gaza City. The occupation forces deliberately aimed at this ancient church situated on Omar al-Mukhtar Street in the Gaza Strip, causing substantial damage to both the church and an adjacent structure. Of historical significance, the Church of St. Porphyrius, dating back to 425 AD and renovated in 1856, holds the distinction of being the third oldest church globally. The Ministry emphasized that the church had offered sanctuary to numerous displaced people, primarily women and children, contributing to the deepening humanitarian crisis in the region.

Greek Orthodox Archbishop of Sebastia in occupied al-Quds, Atallah Hanna, decried the bombing of the church as a new massacre by the Israeli occupation and an attack on Christian heritage. He emphasized that the occupation’s actions were targeting the Christian presence not only in Gaza but across all of Palestine, where Christians are an integral part of the community. Archbishop Hanna urgently called on religious leaders, including His Holiness the Pope, and church leaders worldwide to take a clear and explicit stance in support of the people of Gaza who are suffering due to Israeli attacks. He criticized the West for its support of Israel’s actions and called on every free person and Arab to act immediately to halt the ongoing aggression, stating that the situation in Gaza constitutes more than just a war; it is a genuine catastrophe. Archbishop Hanna also highlighted the arrest of Palestinian youths who expressed support for Gaza online and stressed the importance of countering efforts to manipulate the image of Palestine on social media. He noted that Palestinians are more united than ever in the face of Israeli aggression, and there is growing global awareness of the situation, regardless of their governments’ stances.