Day and night, an indiscriminate rain of bombs is ongoing. Hundreds of houses and buildings have been reduced to rubble. People are trapped under the debris of destruction. Hospitals have long lines of bodies. There’s no place to take shelter. Medical supplies are in severe crisis. Electricity supply is cut off, and food is running out. This is the current situation in the Gaza Strip, Palestine, where for the past five days, Israel’s air force has been conducting relentless bombardments.
Israel has also prepared a ground operation against Hamas members. In the meantime, they have mobilized more than three hundred thousand troops and military equipment near the border. Israeli officials have indicated that the operation could start at any moment. To handle the wartime situation, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has formed a three-member cabinet, including opposition leader Benny Gantz.
For assistance in this operation, the United States has dispatched arms and ammunition to the country. President Joe Biden referred to Hamas’ attacks in Israel as the “work of pure evil” and expressed support for the Jewish state. On the other hand, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has strongly criticized Israel’s ongoing attacks in Gaza, describing it not as a war but as a massacre of innocent civilians. He stated, “We strongly oppose the killing of unarmed civilians in Israel. Similarly, we cannot stand idly by while Gaza is bombarded with indiscriminate attacks.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin has called for a ceasefire and negotiations between the Israeli and Palestinian forces, emphasizing the need to avoid a further escalation of violence. On Saturday, Hamas, an armed group seeking independence for Gaza, initiated attacks on Israel without prior warning. Israel responded by launching a counter-offensive in Gaza. The bombardments have left the Gaza Strip in ruins.
According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, more than 1,100 Palestinians have lost their lives in the five-day-long Israeli bombardment, and over 5,000 have been injured. On the other side, the Israeli military announced that more than 1,200 rockets have been fired from Gaza towards Israel.
Due to the shortage of fuel, Gaza’s only power plant was shut down yesterday. Earlier this week, Israel halted the supply of electricity, fuel, food, and water to Gaza. Now, residents of Gaza can only get light by running generators. However, they also need fuel for them, which is in short supply. As a result, the situation for Gaza’s residents has worsened even further.
Many of Gaza’s residents already heavily relied on humanitarian aid. The United Nations reports that, since the start of the attacks, almost 500,000 people in Gaza have been displaced. The UN agency responsible for humanitarian affairs stated that with the available food and water supplies, the needs of approximately 180,000 people can be met for about 12 days.
In light of this situation, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for immediate humanitarian assistance to reach Gaza. He stated, “It is imperative to provide urgent humanitarian relief, including medicines and essential medical supplies, to Gaza.” Egypt is making efforts to facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza, engaging in discussions with leaders of the United States, Israel, and Hamas.
Palestinian Health Minister Mai al-Kaila stated yesterday that the healthcare system in Gaza has collapsed. Hospitals are providing medical services using electricity generated by generators. However, the available fuel for generators may only last until tomorrow (Thursday). After that, the situation will become even more critical.
Medical professionals in Gaza are calling for urgent healthcare and supplies to reach them. They emphasize that without immediate access to necessary medicines and medical supplies, it will be impossible to save the lives of hundreds of people. They assert that the lives of these individuals are now entirely dependent on electricity and medical supplies.
