Islamabad, The previous night witnessed renewed Israeli air raids targeting civilian homes in southern and central areas of the Gaza Strip, resulting in the tragic loss of at least ninety Palestinians, a significant number of them being women and children.

According to a news release by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the overall casualty figures over the past two weeks have surged, with the death toll reaching more than 4,741 Palestinians, inclusive of 1,873 children and 1,023 women. Approximately sixteen thousand Palestinians bear the scars and wounds from Israel’s ongoing bombardment campaign. Specific attacks last night included multiple airstrikes on the Jabalia refugee camp, which took thirty lives. In Rafah, an inhabited house was bombed, leading to the deaths of six individuals and injuring eleven others. Residential areas like the Al-Amal neighbourhood, Al-Qarara town, and Al-Mughraqa were not spared either. Additionally, significant damage and injuries have been reported in the vicinity of the Indonesian Hospital in Beit Lahia due to the latest Israeli air raids.

On a global front, several UN aid agencies have urgently called for a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, pointing out the deteriorating conditions. This call has emanated from the UN’s Development Programme, Population Fund, International Children’s Emergency Fund, the World Food Programme, and the World Health Organization. Collectively, these organizations underscore the vulnerability of children, pregnant women, and the elderly in the Gaza Strip, where children comprise nearly half of its populace. The UN agencies emphasize the dire need for “immediate, unrestricted humanitarian access throughout Gaza” to assist civilians in distress. Their data suggests that over 1.6 million individuals in Gaza are in dire need of humanitarian aid. Both the World Food Programme and the World Health Organization jointly characterized the scenario in Gaza as “catastrophic.”