Israeli jets bomb ambulance in Gaza

At least six people were killed in an Israeli air strike on an ambulance in the central Gaza Strip yesterday, the Palestinian Red Crescent Society said.

Four Red Crescent members were among the victims of the attack that targeted an ambulance in Deir Al-Balah, the humanitarian organization said in a statement.

Several ambulances and healthcare facilities have repeatedly been targeted by Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

Israel has pounded the Palestinian enclave since 7 October, killing at least 23,357 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injuring 59,410 others, according to local health authorities.

About 85% of Palestinians in Gaza have been displaced, while all face the risk of famine and starvation as a result of Israel’s denial of the entry of food aid.

After almost 100 days of violence, killing, bombardment and captivity for children in Gaza, their suffering continues, a UNICEF official said on Friday, Anadolu Agency reports.

With every passing day, children and families in the Gaza Strip face increased risk of death from the sky, disease from lack of safe water and deprivation from lack of food, UNICEF Special Representative on Children in Palestine, Lucia Elmi, said at a UN press conference.

She said for two remaining Israeli children still held hostage in Gaza, their nightmare that began on 7 October continues, and they must be unconditionally and safely released.

And the situation continues to deteriorate rapidly; UNICEF last week spoke of the ‘triple threat’ stalking children in the Gaza Strip: conflict, disease, and malnutrition.

The UN children’s agency representative said UNICEF is doing everything it can but faces a formidable challenge addressing the issues.

Children in Gaza are running out of time, while most of the lifesaving humanitarian aid they desperately need remains stranded between insufficient access corridors and protracted layers of inspections.

Frequent communications blackouts make it extremely challenging to coordinate the distribution of aid and let people know how to access it and when.

Elmi said that the congestion in the south due to the massive displacement and the intense needs meant continued incidents of people in despair stopping trucks and trying to get their hands on whatever they can.

Families in the north desperately need this fuel to operate water and sanitation infrastructure. They are still waiting. Elmi said that the UN still needs to get sufficient aid into Gaza and that on the preceding day, just 139 trucks entered.

Middle East Monitor / ABC Flash Point News 2024.