The Israeli military has announced that it has completely encircled the Gaza City area, a confirmation that suggests a serious escalation in the ongoing conflict between the two sides.
However, a United Nations shelter near the Gaza City perimeter was hit by an airstrike on Saturday, according to an official, which indicates that a difficult situation is only becoming worse.
The United Nations refugee agency in Gaza, UNRWA, said that one of its schools was struck by an airstrike. This same school, according to the agency, housed hundreds of Gazans who had left their homes due to the ongoing conflict.
The agency condemned the attack, and called on both sides to take steps to ensure civilian protection. UNRWA also stated that the strike was conducted without warning, and that no civilians were injured.
The air strike was confirmed by a spokesperson for the Israeli military, who said that the area had been a target of the Israeli forces due to ‘the activity of the terrorist organisation Hamas’. The Israeli government has accused Hamas of launching a number of rockets from the area, which the organisation readily admits.
However, the United Nations has expressed great concern over the Israeli military’s tactics in the region, accusing them of ‘disproportionate’ force and calling the blanket of airstrikes ‘inhuman’. The UN also strongly criticised the attack on the UNRWA school, calling on all parties to ensure respect for civilian lives, and for international law.
The Israeli government, however, responded that they were only responding in kind to ‘the activities of terrorist organisations in the region’, and continues to deny accusations of disproportionate response.
The situation is particularly worrying for the 2 million residents of Gaza City, who are constantly at risk of aerial bombardment and shelling from the Israeli military. Already, the conflict has seen over 800 deaths, with many more injured, and thousands of homes destroyed or heavily damaged.
The situation is becoming increasingly desperate, and any hope for a peaceful resolution appears to be slipping away by the day. The international community must act quickly and decisively, if an extended conflict is to be avoided.