Israeli forces bomb Gaza’s perimeter to prepare for a “buffer zone” as medical staff in Nasser Hospital dig graves in anticipation of a large number of fatalities due to Israel’s ongoing siege on the hospital. Mondoweiss
- 25,700+ killed* and at least 63,740 wounded in the Gaza Strip.
- 387+ Palestinians killed in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem
- Israel revises its estimated October 7 death toll down from 1,400 to 1,147.
- 556 Israeli soldiers killed since October 7, and at least 3,221 injured.**
*This figure was confirmed by Gaza’s Ministry of Health. Some rights groups put the death toll number closer to 32,000 when accounting for those presumed dead.
** This figure is released by the Israeli military.
- Israeli forces are bombing Gaza’s perimeter in order to facilitate future land grab, buffer zone.
- ICJ: Verdict on South Africa genocide case against Israel to be announced Friday.
- Palestinian man shot dead at point blank-range south of Jenin in occupied West Bank.
- Israeli forces re-arrest 17-year-old Youssef al-Khatib, whom Israel freed in November swap deal with Hamas.
- Nasser Hospital and al-Amal hospitals in Khan Younis subjected to siege by Israeli military, hundreds of lives at risk.
- UN: Israel bombs UNRWA Shelter, killing at least 12, injuring 75
- Egypt’s President accuses Israel of delaying Gaza aid deliveries as a pressure tactic.
- 5,000 Israeli protestors call for immediate deal to return all Israeli captives.
- Netanyahu allegedly criticizes Qatar mediating role as “problematic,” despite facilitating return of over 100 Israeli captives.
Gaza Hospitals have a target on their back.
In Khan Younis, Palestinians continue to face constant Israeli attacks, including those on medical centers, further crippling Gaza’s healthcare infrastructure and institutions.
The Israeli military has put several medical complexes under siege in Khan Younis, the second-largest city in Gaza, located in the southern district.
At Nasser Hospital, The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) reports that “no one can enter or exit” because of the nearby bombardment .
In addition to about 400 dialysis patients at Nasser Hospital who cannot access treatment, hundreds of wounded people, sick patients, and maternity cases are facing serious complications as a result of the lack of access to the hospital.
“Health staff is reported to be digging graves on hospital grounds due to the large numbers of fatalities anticipated and the need to manage burials,” the UNOCHA report continued.
The Israeli army has also surrounded the al-Amal Hospital and the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) headquarters in Khan Younis. Israeli troops are “enforcing restrictions on movement around both the building and the hospital,” PRCS said in a post on X.
“The intense shelling around the hospital, gunfire, and the military vehicles approaching from all directions are ongoing violations of international laws and the Geneva Conventions,” PRCS added.
“The occupation prohibits the movement of humanitarian teams, including ambulances, in blatant disregard for established norms.”
In al-Amal Hospital, medical staff are running out of blood due to the inability to access the blood bank as a result of the ongoing siege. To combat the shortage, groups of displaced people sheltering at the hospital are donating blood.
William Schomburg, head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), warns that immediate action is required to prevent a complete shutdown of medical services in Gaza.
“Every functioning hospital in the Gaza Strip is overcrowded and short on medical supplies, fuel, food and water. Many are housing thousands of displaced families. And now two more facilities risk being lost due to the fighting,” Schomburg said in a statement.
“The cumulative impact on the health system is devastating and urgent action must be taken.”
Israel’s Genocide War in Gaza Continues
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) will deliver its ruling tomorrow on whether to issue provisional measures, the court said in a news release. Those provisional measures could include a suspension of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. South Africa filed a case against Israel at the ICJ in December 2023 claiming Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians and failing to prevent and punish incitement to genocide, in violation of its obligations under the Genocide Convention. Mariya Knight and Jomana Karadsheh report for CNN.
Israel has declassified more than 30 secret orders made by government and military leaders which it says rebut South Africa’s charge that it committed genocide in Gaza, and instead show Israel’s efforts to reduce civilian deaths. The documents include summaries of cabinet discussions from late October, in which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered aid deliveries to Gaza. Netanyahu also instructed the government to examine how “external actors” could set up field hospitals to treat Gazans, as well as consider mooring a hospital ship off the enclave’s coast. The dossier omits most wartime instructions given by the cabinet and does not include orders from the first 10 days of the war, when Israel blocked aid to Gaza and blocked the enclave access to water and electricity. Patrick Kingsle reports for the New York Times.
Gaza faces a complete medical shutdown unless immediate action is taken to safeguard services, the International Committee of the Red Cross warned today. Hamdi Alkshali reports for CNN.
At least 12 people were killed and 75 injured when a U.N. facility sheltering civilians was struck in Khan Younis in southern Gaza, the U.N. Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA) said. The aid group’s commissioner condemned the “blatant disregard of basic values of war.” Meanwhile, Israel’s military said it had ruled out the incident was the result of air or artillery strikes by its forces and is examining the possibility that it was “Hamas fire.” David Gritten and Lipika Pelham report for BBC News.
Families of Israeli hostages being held in Gaza began a protest at a border crossing today to block aid from entering the enclave. The protests come a day after Israeli protesters at the Kerem Shalom crossing delayed aid trucks for hours, according to the U.N. humanitarian affairs office, forcing more than 100 trucks to reroute through Egypt. Victoria Kim reports for the New York Times.
Israel is building a 1-kilometer-wide buffer zone with Gaza—to which Palestinians would be barred entry—a source of growing frustration for U.S. officials. (🎥 WSJ Video explores why planning for postwar Gaza is so complex.)
REGIONAL RESPONSE
Qatar said it was “appalled” yesterday by leaked remarks made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in which he criticized the country’s mediation efforts with Hamas, calling them “problematic.” Netanyahu made the comments in a meeting with families of hostages held by Hamas which were broadcast Tuesday on Israeli TV. “Qatar in my opinion is no different, in essence, from the U.N. It is no different, in essence, from the Red Cross, and in some ways it is even more problematic,” Netanyahu can be heard saying. Qatar described the remarks as “irresponsible and destructive,” with Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesperson saying in a post on X, “If the reported remarks are found to be true, the Israeli PM would only be obstructing and undermining the mediation process, for reasons that appear to serve his political career instead of prioritizing saving innocent lives, including Israeli hostages.” Najib Jobain, Jack Jeffery, and Tia Goldenberg report for AP News.
| Qatar, key mediator in sensitive Israel-Hamas talks, lashes out at Netanyahu over critical remarksQatar said it was appalled Wednesday by leaked remarks made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in which he criticized the Arab country’s mediation efforts with Hamas, complicating already arduous negotiations meant to halt the hostilities in exchange for a release of hostages. Read more. |
| Why this matters:Qatar, along with Egypt, is working on a new agreement that could set free more hostages, and potentially offer some respite in the devastating 3-month war. But officials say the gap between the two sides is still wide, and the spat between Netanyahu and Qatar could rattle negotiations. · Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson said his government was “appalled” by the reported remarks but that they were “not surprising.” If the remarks are confirmed, Netanyahu “would only be obstructing and undermining the mediation process, for reasons that appear to serve his political career instead of prioritizing saving innocent lives, including Israeli hostages,” Majed al-Ansari said. |
INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE
British foreign secretary David Cameron said he told Netanyahu that more aid trucks must be able to enter Gaza and that an immediate humanitarian fighting pause is needed. Cameron, who is currently touring the Middle East and met with Netanyahu and the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas yesterday,announced Britain and Qatar are working together to increase aid into Gaza, with a first joint consignment containing tents being flown into Egypt today. Reuters reports.
U.S. RESPONSE
All but two Senate Democrats are supporting a measure advocating the creation of a Palestinian state as part of a national security package that would also include military aid to Israel. The two-page amendment, led by Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI), reiterates it is U.S. policy to “support a negotiated comprehensive solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict resulting in two states with Israelis and Palestinians living side by side in peace.” Andrew Solender reports for Axios.
The United States and Iraq are expected to soon begin talks on the future of the U.S. military presence in the country as public calls from the Iraqi government for a withdrawal grow, according to sources familiar with the matter. The Pentagon said the two countries agreed last summer to form a higher military commission as a platform for the dialogue, which will focus on the next phase of the U.S.-led coalition against the self-styled Islamic State militant group. There are around 2,500 U.S. military personnel currently in Iraq who have been operating there in an advise and assist capacity since December 2021, following the end of the U.S. combat role. Natasha Bertrand and Oren Liebermann report for CNN.
MILITARY CONFLICT WITH HOUTHIS
The Houthis targeted U.S. warships with ballistic missiles in the Gulf of Aden and Bab al-Mandab Strait yesterday, Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree announced. The Iran-backed Yemeni group “engaged” with U.S. warships protecting two American commercial vessels, leading to one vessel suffering a “direct hit” and both ships being forced to turn back from the area, Saree claimed. Ruba Alhenawi reports for CNN.