Nuseirat Refugee Camp Devastated by Overnight Airstrikes
Gaza City– In a devastating turn of events in Gaza, the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza has been the site of a tragic overnight attack. A UN-run school, housing hundreds of displaced Palestinian families, and a residential home were targeted, resulting in at least 39 fatalities. The morgue at Al-Aqsa Hospital, overwhelmed and operating at three times its official capacity, is filled with the bodies of the deceased.
Voices from the Ground
Families at Al-Aqsa Hospital expressed their horror and despair. A grieving mother who lost her son in the attack lamented, “We are not yet safe. We went to evacuation centres run by the United Nations in order to afford ourselves some protection, but we have been attacked.” The sentiment echoed across the camp, as the hope for safety has seemingly vanished.
Anas al-Dahouk, a survivor, described the chaos: “We were inside the school and suddenly we were bombed, people here turned to pieces on a harsh night … this building housed families and young people, and the shelling took place without warning.” Naim al-Dadah, another resident, denounced the strike as “the result of the terrorism of the State of Israel … there is no terrorism except Israel, all institutions and red lines have been crossed by Israel in Gaza.”
Healthcare Struggles Amid Ongoing Conflict
The humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced on social media platform X that the NGO International Medical Corps has relocated its 160-bed field hospital from Rafah al-Mawasi to Deir el-Balah, leaving the Red Cross field hospital in al-Mawasi as the sole fully functioning healthcare facility in the region. The UAE’s field hospital in Rafah remains operational, but access is increasingly perilous due to ongoing hostilities.
Tedros emphasized the dire need for a ceasefire, highlighting that the insecurity and closure of the Rafah crossing severely hamper efforts to deliver supplies and medical personnel to the besieged population.
Israeli Military Response and Regional Tensions
The Israeli military defended their actions, claiming that Hamas fighters were present in the UN school, although no evidence has been provided to substantiate this claim. The army acknowledged knowing the building was a UN facility and a refuge for displaced Palestinians but insisted the target was legitimate due to the suspected presence of Hamas operatives linked to the October 7 attacks on Israel.
Amid the escalating violence in Gaza, Israel faces growing unrest on its northern front. War cabinet minister Benny Gantz, visiting northern Israel following deadly Hezbollah rocket attacks, warned of “tougher days” ahead and urged local leaders to prepare for more intense conflict.
Hamas Tactics and Ongoing Resistance
US and Israeli officials have noted a shift in Hamas’s tactics, with the militant group now relying on ambushes and improvised bombs instead of direct confrontations. Despite a significant reduction in their fighting force, Hamas has demonstrated the ability to rapidly withdraw, regroup, and launch surprise attacks, prolonging the conflict and posing a persistent challenge to Israeli forces.
Rising Death Toll
The death toll from the attack on the UN school in Nuseirat remains uncertain, with reports ranging from 35 to potentially 45 casualties, according to Juliette Touma, director of communications for the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA). The numbers are expected to rise as more bodies are recovered from the rubble.
As Gaza endures another day of tragedy and chaos, the call for an urgent ceasefire grows louder, with humanitarian organizations and local leaders urging an end to the violence that has left countless families shattered and a region in turmoil.
