Amidst escalating tensions, the exclusive power facility in Gaza has ceased operations due to a depletion of fuel reserves. This situation transpired as the Palestinian region came under intense bombardment and an imposing siege by Israeli forces. The electricity authority of this beleaguered enclave confirmed this development, with Jalal Ismail, the authority’s head, conveying, “The sole power plant in Gaza came to a halt at 2 pm (1100 GMT).” Earlier warnings had indicated a dwindling fuel supply.
The United Nations agency responsible for Palestinian refugees informed Al Jazeera that they possessed less than a fortnight’s worth of food and water reserves to assist the over 180,000 Palestinian residents who had sought refuge within Gaza’s schools.
On Wednesday, Gaza‘s health ministry disclosed alarming figures, reporting at least 1,055 Palestinian casualties and 5,184 injuries within this densely populated coastal area since the unanticipated assault on Saturday. Meanwhile, Israel’s military asserted that the death toll on their side had surged to 1,200 individuals, with more than 2,700 sustaining injuries, while also claiming to have identified roughly 1,500 fighter casualties.
Israel proclaimed the regaining of control over border regions from the Palestinian faction, Hamas, ratcheting up concerns about an impending Israeli ground operation within Gaza. This densely populated and impoverished enclave serves as the launchpad for Hamas’s attacks via land, air, and sea during the Jewish Sabbath.
International non-governmental organizations issued a dire warning regarding the deteriorating health and humanitarian conditions prevailing in Gaza.
Fatal airstrikes continued unabated, with residential structures, factories, mosques, and shops bearing the brunt of the relentless attacks, according to Salama Marouf, head of the government’s media office.
The Israeli military reported targeting several “Hamas objectives” overnight, including advanced detection systems utilized by Hamas for identifying military aircraft. Furthermore, the military’s airstrikes concentrated on the Beit Hanoun area of northeastern Gaza Strip, where they claimed to have struck 80 Hamas targets, including two banking branches allegedly associated with funding for terrorist activities in the enclave. Additional strikes hit a weapons storage facility and an operational command center used by Hamas.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in a rebuke to Israel, expressed that the Israeli government’s actions did not align with those of a conventional state in the Gaza Strip. Erdogan decried the “shameful methods” employed by the Israeli army in this densely inhabited region. He criticized the indiscriminate bombing of civilian sites, the loss of civilian lives, hindrance of humanitarian aid, and the portrayal of such actions as achievements, characterizing these actions as more befitting an organization than a sovereign state. Erdogan advocated for the observance of ethical conduct during times of conflict by both parties involved, highlighting the grave violations of this principle on both sides.
Gaza City now stands as a testament to the ravages of war, with streets marred by debris and scattered with glass shards. Mazen Mohammad and his family, seeking refuge on the ground floor of their apartment building, described a scene of desolation upon awakening. Over 260,000 individuals have been compelled to vacate their homes in the Gaza Strip due to the relentless Israeli bombardment from land, air, and sea. This dire situation was underscored by the United Nations, which reported that over 263,934 Gazans had been displaced, and this number was anticipated to increase further.
The ongoing bombing campaign resulted in the destruction of more than 1,000 housing units, rendering 560 uninhabitable. Among the displaced population, nearly 175,500 sought shelter in 88 UN-run schools supporting Palestinian refugees. Over 14,500 individuals found refuge in 12 government schools, with close to 74,000 seeking shelter with relatives, neighbors, or in churches and other facilities.
This crisis marked the largest number of displaced individuals within Gaza since the 50-day escalation of hostilities in 2014. Meeting basic necessities became an increasingly arduous challenge for those who had not yet been displaced. The imposition of a “complete siege” by Israel on the already blockaded Gaza Strip, which included restrictions on food, water, fuel, and electricity, heightened an already dire humanitarian situation, drawing condemnation from the international community. European Union foreign ministers called on Israel not to disrupt the flow of essential supplies and advocated for humanitarian corridors for those attempting to flee.
UN human rights chief Volker Turk pointed out that such sieges were in violation of international humanitarian law. Within Gaza, more than 187,500 people were displaced, many of whom took shelter in UN-operated schools. Medical supplies, including oxygen, dwindled in Gaza’s overwhelmed Al-Shifa hospital, intensifying the fear and chaos experienced by the 2.3 million Palestinians residing in the battered coastal region. Additionally, four Palestinian journalists fell victim to Israeli airstrikes in Gaza City, further escalating the tension in the region. Among the casualties were two senior figures from Hamas, Zakaria Muammar and Jawad Abu Shamala, who were involved in economic coordination and liaisons with other Palestinian factions. Israel’s military also confirmed their demise.
