Saturday, November 4, 2023

Gaza Palestinians Fear Escalation After Night of Air Raids

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Overnight on Thursday, the Al Dorra children’s hospital in Gaza City was hit by an Israeli airstrike. Samar Alwan, who was in the hospital with her two-year-old daughter, rushed to pick her up when the first strike hit. Moments later, the window above her daughter’s bed shattered and glass crashed onto the cot. Alwan said that her daughter miraculously survived, but the bombardment could have caused a catastrophe at the hospital. The Ministry of Health in Gaza denounced the Israeli air raids and urged the international community to take action against these attacks on health facilities and take measures to protect healthcare facilities and staff in the besieged Gaza Strip.

The attacks resulted in extensive damage to nearby houses and buildings. Majdi Abu Nima and his family woke up at 3:00 am for their suhoor in their home in the Al Tuffah district of Gaza City. Suddenly, Israeli warplanes were attacking empty land next to their house, causing severe destruction to their home and creating fear among family members. Abu Nima said it was like an earthquake, and he rushed to his three daughters’ bedroom to find his two-year-old daughter covered with shattered window glass. Although no one in the family was injured, Mohannad Abu Nima, the family’s 26-year-old eldest son, lost his car that he had bought six months ago.

The latest round of escalation in Gaza began when Israeli police attacked worshippers at Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque on Tuesday, leading to widespread condemnation from the Arab and international communities. On Thursday night, the Gaza Strip witnessed a long night of escalation, during which Israeli fighter jets conducted air raids on several sites – including agricultural and empty lands – and Palestinian armed groups fired rockets into Israel.

Alwan said that several children in the hospital spent the night trembling with fear. She added that children in Gaza are poor and do not enjoy Ramadan or Eid or any other occasion. They are always threatened with fear and destruction that may come their way at any moment. Majdi Abu Nima said that he moved into his house less than a year ago, and the instalments are still piling up. Only two days ago, they brought a set of sofas to prepare for Eid, but now, there is no longer any joy for Eid or any celebration. Mohannad Abu Nima said that he put all his savings into his car after working day and night to buy it. It was his only source of income, and he felt sad over its loss.

The MOH urged the international community to take action against these attacks on health facilities and take measures to protect healthcare facilities and staff in the besieged Gaza Strip. The bombing came and destroyed whatever the people in Gaza had left, making life there truly hell. The situation in Gaza is unbearably difficult, and the people there are always threatened with fear and destruction that may come their way at any moment.

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