The recent evacuation efforts have underscored the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with numerous Palestinians urgently requiring medical assistance outside the besieged area.
As the healthcare system nears collapse due to continuous Israeli strikes on medical facilities, dozens of patients were successfully evacuated from the Gaza Strip. On Tuesday morning, 45 individuals were transported from the European Hospital in Khan Younis to the UAE, utilizing the Israel-controlled Kerem Shalom Crossing.
Among the evacuees was a 10-year-old boy named Abdullah Abu Yousef, who suffers from kidney failure and was accompanied by his sister after his mother’s request to join was rejected by Israeli authorities. “The boy is sick,” said Abeer Abu Yousef, his mother. “He requires hemodialysis three to four times a week.”
The Palestinian Ministry of Health reports that thousands of individuals in Gaza are in dire need of medical treatment abroad, exacerbated by Israel’s ongoing military offensive that commenced following the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. The offensive has decimated Gaza’s healthcare infrastructure, causing most hospitals to close, with only a few operating partially.
Since capturing the southern city of Rafah in May, Israel has exerted control over all entry and exit points. Reports from the UN indicate that Israeli strikes have severely impacted Gaza’s healthcare system, which is now on the brink of a total collapse. The UN documented 136 attacks on hospitals and medical facilities since the beginning of October, raising serious concerns over violations of international law.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, asserted, “This report graphically details the destruction of the healthcare system in Gaza, highlighting the deaths of patients, medical staff, and other civilians in these assaults, in blatant disregard for international humanitarian and human rights law.”
Although Israel contends that militants have utilized hospitals for military purposes, the UN claims insufficient evidence supports these allegations.
Israeli Prime Minister’s Budget Vote
This week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attended a crucial budget vote in parliament, just two days post-prostate surgery, despite medical advice against it. His coalition managed to secure a last-minute majority.
The vote was critical, coinciding with the deadline for the 2024 tax year; failure to pass it would require the government to find alternative funding to cover a 10 billion shekel (€2.6 billion) deficit. Tensions persist within the coalition, particularly with far-right Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir urging party members to oppose the budget.
U.S. Airstrikes Target Houthi Militants
The United States has conducted airstrikes against Houthi military installations in Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, focusing on command centers and weapon storage following Houthi attacks on U.S. vessels in the Red Sea. Houthi negotiator Mohammed Abdul-Salam referred to the strikes as “a gross violation of sovereignty.”
The Houthis have launched drones and missiles at Israel and targeted shipping in the Red Sea, declaring that such attacks will persist until Israel agrees to a ceasefire with Hamas in Gaza.
Israel Acknowledges Assassination of Hamas Leader
For the first time, Israel has confirmed its involvement in the January 2024 assassination of Hamas leader Saleh Arouri in Beirut. According to Israel’s Shin Bet security service, Arouri was among five senior Hamas figures killed in Lebanon this year.
France Launches Airstrikes Against Islamic State
France recently conducted airstrikes against Islamic State militants in Syria, marking its first military action since Bashar al-Assad’s fall from power. Defence Minister Sébastien Lecornu stated that these airstrikes form part of the ongoing fight against terrorism in the Levant. France has been involved in the international coalition known as Operation Inherent Resolve against ISIS since 2014 in Iraq and 2015 in Syria.
Israeli Arrests in Gaza
The Shin Bet security service reported that approximately 2,500 Palestinians were arrested in Gaza during 2024, with 650 undergoing interrogation. The agency has claimed that interrogations have resulted in the recovery of nine bodies of hostages taken during Hamas’ October 7 attack. Additionally, 27 Israelis faced charges for allegedly spying for Iran, reflecting a nearly four-fold increase compared to 2023.
In the West Bank, Shin Bet reported detaining 3,682 Palestinians on suspicion of involvement in “terror activities.” The UN noted that over 4,000 Palestinians were arrested in the West Bank between October and December last year.
Conditions Worsen in Flooded Gaza
Palestinians in Gaza are grappling with increasingly dire conditions as heavy rainfall leads to flooding in makeshift shelters. Displaced families, many of whom are living in tents, are battling cold temperatures and inadequate living conditions, resulting in at least four infant fatalities attributed to hypothermia in recent weeks. “I’m drowning,” exclaimed Manal Lubbad, wading through ankle-deep water in her tent as she attempts to salvage her belongings. “We are dead, we are not alive! Why is this happening?” she lamented, echoing the despair shared by many in the beleaguered region.
Israel’s ongoing offensive against Hamas, initiated after the militants’ attack on October 7, 2023, has wrought devastation across the impoverished territory, displacing approximately 90% of its 2.3 million residents, with many displaced multiple times. The Civil Defence, under the Hamas-run government, reported receiving hundreds of rescue calls from individuals trapped in flooded shelters.
Photo credit & article inspired by: Euronews
