At least 4,800 children have been killed in the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The death toll from Israel’s indiscriminate bombing that has been going on for more than a month has exceeded 9,770.
Officials of Al-Aqsa Hospital said that at least 13 people were killed when Israeli airstrikes hit several houses near a school in Bureji refugee camp in the center of Gaza on Sunday afternoon.
About 46 thousand people live in this camp. Israel attacked here on Thursday as well. Israel attacked a total of three refugee camps within 24 hours.
More than 50 Palestinians were killed in these attacks in al-Maghazi and Jabalia refugee camps in Gaza.
Arafat Abu Mushaiyya, a resident of al-Maghazi camp, told Al-Jazeera that several multi-storey buildings were razed to the ground by Israeli airstrikes. These buildings housed family members fleeing from other parts of Gaza.
“This (Israeli attack) amounts to genocide,” Arafat said, standing on the rubble early Sunday morning.
‘Those who were here are all peace seekers. I challenge everyone. Prove if you can, there are any (Hamas) fighters among the residents here,’ added Arafat.
Thousands of people flocked to al-Maghazi camp when Israeli forces ordered Palestinians to withdraw from northern Gaza to the south. The camp was built in a residential area, which was officially declared a refuge for those coming from the north. Nevertheless, the camp was not free from attacks.
Saeed Al-Nezma (53) said that he was sleeping with his family members at the time of the explosion.
‘All night long we drag the dead out from under the broken rocks. We find bodies of children and adults, whose organs and flesh have been dismembered,’ he added.
On Sunday, leaflets were again dropped from Israeli planes ordering residents of northern Gaza to move south within four hours. Then numerous people are seen walking south on the main north-south highway of the valley. With whatever help they could get by hand, they crossed the path of the unknown. Small carts pulled by donkeys are seen with some.
One man told an Al-Jazeera reporter that he walked about 500 meters with his hands raised in surrender as Israeli soldiers sat on the side of the road.
Another person said that he saw numerous dead bodies in crashed cars on the road.
A Palestinian, who did not want to be named, said, ‘The children saw tanks for the first time. O world! Have mercy on us.’
Al Jazeera’s Hami Mahmoud Khan said from the Yunis area, considering the overall situation, it is believed that the Israeli forces are carrying out a planned attack on the refugee camps in Gaza.
He said, ‘Israel is conducting repeated airstrikes on refugee camps in the center and south of Gaza. As a result, there will be a safe haven in the south, which Israel promises, but people do not trust.’
The United Nations says 1.5 million of Gaza’s 2.3 million are now displaced.
On Sunday, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken arrived in the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah on an unannounced visit and met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
At this meeting, Blinken once again clarified Washington’s position. The US wants to launch a ‘humanitarian pause’ in Gaza to protect civilians and safely evacuate foreign passport holders.
But at the same time, the country has taken a stand against the ceasefire altogether. The United States does not believe in any initiative that diverts Israel from its goal of defeating Hamas.
Egypt and Jordan condemned the US position. The two countries joined other leaders in calling for an unconditional ceasefire in Gaza.
But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu again refused to call off the attacks.
“There will be no ceasefire until our hostages are released,” Netanyahu told ground and air force members at Ramon airbase in southern Israel on Sunday. I say this to both our friends and our enemies. We will continue (the attack) until we defeat them.’
Israel claims that they are only targeting Hamas fighters and infrastructure. The country alleged that Hamas was using civilians and facilities as human shields. Critics say Israel’s attacks are indiscriminate, as they kill countless civilians every day.
