At least 150 Palestinians have been killed in two days of relentless Israeli airstrikes on Gaza, carried out on Thursday and Friday, December 3. This surge in violence comes as Israel continues its military campaign against Hamas while simultaneously engaging in ceasefire negotiations and hostage release discussions with the militant group.
Ceasefire Negotiations in Qatar
Senior Hamas official Basem Naim emphasized the group’s commitment to reaching a ceasefire agreement during ongoing talks in Qatar. Naim reiterated Hamas’s demands, including the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and facilitating the return of displaced residents to their homes.
Healthcare Sector on the Brink of Collapse
Israel’s continued offensive has left Gaza’s healthcare infrastructure in ruins. Physicians for Human Rights Israel (PHRI) warned that the health system in northern Gaza is on the verge of complete collapse. In a social media statement, PHRI highlighted the dire situation, stating that if the Indonesian Hospital and al-Awda Hospital—currently the only operational medical facilities in northern Gaza—are evacuated, there will be no remaining healthcare centers in the region.
“Israel is systematically destroying civilian infrastructure and forcibly displacing the Palestinian population in violation of international law,” PHRI said, urging immediate international intervention to stop what it described as ethnic cleansing.
International Condemnation of Health Sector Targeting
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, revealed that 136 Israeli attacks have struck 27 health facilities in Gaza, resulting in significant casualties and devastation. Amnesty International also condemned Israel’s detention of Dr. Hussam Abu Safia, director of Kamal Adwan Hospital, as part of what it characterized as a broader strategy to annihilate Gaza’s healthcare system.
Human Toll of the Conflict
The ongoing war, which began on October 7, 2023, has claimed the lives of at least 45,658 Palestinians and wounded 108,583 more, according to local health authorities. On the Israeli side, 1,139 people were killed during Hamas-led attacks on October 7, which also saw more than 200 individuals taken hostage.
Call for Global Action
International human rights organizations and advocacy groups have called for urgent global action to address the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The escalating violence underscores the need for a sustainable resolution to the conflict, which has resulted in unprecedented loss of life and destruction in the region.
