On Thursday, more foreigners were making preparations to leave the besieged Gaza Strip, as the Gaza government reported that at least 195 Palestinians had lost their lives in Israel’s attacks on the Jabalia refugee camp. UN human rights officials have raised concerns that these attacks could potentially be considered war crimes.
A total of 320 foreign citizens from an initial list of 500, as well as dozens of severely injured Gazans, crossed into Egypt on Wednesday through an agreement involving Israel, Egypt, and Hamas. The evacuees held passports from countries such as Australia, Austria, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Finland, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Jordan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Gaza border officials indicated that the border crossing would reopen on Thursday to facilitate the departure of more foreigners.
According to diplomatic sources, approximately 7,500 foreign passport holders are expected to leave Gaza over two weeks.
Israel has been intensifying its offensive against Hamas, conducting bombings in Gaza through land, sea, and air operations to dismantle the group following its cross-border incursion into southern Israel on October 7th.
Israel alleged that Hamas was responsible for the deaths of 1,400 people, mostly civilians, and the abduction of over 200 hostages.
The Gaza health ministry has reported that since October 7th, at least 8,796 Palestinians in the densely populated coastal enclave, including 3,648 children, have been killed in Israeli airstrikes.
Early on Thursday, explosions were reported around the al-Quds hospital in Gaza City, which is densely populated. The Palestinian Red Crescent stated that Israeli authorities had previously warned the hospital to evacuate immediately, a move considered impossible without endangering patients.
Israel claimed that its strikes on Tuesday and Wednesday resulted in the deaths of two Hamas military leaders in Jabalia, Gaza’s largest refugee camp. Israel asserted that the group had command centers and other “terror infrastructure” intentionally placed near civilian buildings, endangering Gazan civilians.
According to Gaza’s Hamas-run media office, at least 195 Palestinians were killed in the two Israeli attacks on Jabalia, with 120 individuals still missing under the rubble, and 777 people wounded. Palestinians engaged in a desperate search for trapped victims among the debris on Wednesday.
UN human rights officials expressed serious concerns that these attacks on the camp could amount to war crimes due to the high number of civilian casualties and the extent of destruction.
Israel reported the death of one soldier in Gaza on Wednesday, with fifteen killed on Tuesday. As international calls for a humanitarian ceasefire escalate, conditions in the besieged enclave have become increasingly dire due to Israel’s assault and tightened blockade. Shortages of food, fuel, drinking water, and medicine have become a pressing issue.
A US passport holder, Dr. Fathi Abu al-Hassan, described the nightmarish conditions in Gaza, where people are living without access to water, food, or shelter, constantly surrounded by death. Hospitals have faced difficulties due to fuel shortages, which have resulted in shutdowns, including Gaza’s only cancer hospital. Israel has refused to allow humanitarian convoys to bring in fuel, citing concerns that Hamas fighters might divert it for military purposes.
Ashraf Al-Qudra, a spokesperson for the Gaza health ministry, stated that the main power generator at the Indonesian Hospital had stopped working due to a lack of fuel. While the hospital switched to a backup generator, it would no longer be able to power mortuary refrigerators and oxygen generators, raising concerns of an impending disaster if fuel is not provided in the next few days.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was scheduled to depart on Thursday for his second visit to Israel in less than a month. He planned to meet with Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on Friday to express solidarity while emphasizing the need to minimize civilian casualties among Palestinians.
Blinken’s trip also included a stop in Jordan, one of the few Arab states that have normalized relations with Israel. Jordan withdrew its ambassador from Tel Aviv on Wednesday until Israel ceased its assault on Gaza, a move regretted by Israel.
In Jordan, Blinken aimed to underscore the importance of protecting civilian lives and reaffirm the US commitment to preventing the forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza, a growing concern in the Arab world. He also intended to support talks led by Egypt and Qatar to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas.
On Thursday, the US House of Representatives could pass a bill providing $14.3 billion in aid for Israel, with Republican support. However, it is unlikely to become law as it faces significant opposition in the Democratic-controlled Senate, and the White House has threatened a veto. President Joe Biden has sought a $106 billion bill that would fund various initiatives, including aid for Ukraine, border security, humanitarian assistance, and support for Israel.
