42 killed in Israel’s latest assault on Gaza, several dead in West Bank operation

Middle East, News September 5, 2024 , by IRIA No Comments

3 minute read

The Israeli violence in Gaza continues as the latest airstrike on September 4, 2024, killed 42 Palestinians and injured more than 100 Palestinians. The strikes hit various civilian targets across the densely populated coastal enclave, heightening fears of a broader conflict in the region.

Among the dead are 9 people who were killed in central Gaza City when Israeli forces bombed a residential building near a city park. The attack claimed the lives of 2 children, adding to the growing toll of young victims in the conflict.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health confirmed that 7 other Palestinians were killed on Tuesday when Israeli bombs targeted Namaa College, located northwest of Gaza City. The college had been serving as a makeshift shelter for hundreds of displaced Palestinians who had fled their homes in search of safety.

The recent surge in violence has intensified the already dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, a region that has been under an Israeli blockade for over a decade. The blockade, which restricts the movement of people and goods into and out of Gaza, has left the territory’s 2 million residents facing chronic shortages of food, medical supplies, and other essential goods.

The ongoing conflict has further complicated efforts to address public health crises in Gaza. The World Health Organization (WHO) has been conducting a mass vaccination campaign against polio in the territory, an urgent public health initiative amid the chaos. So far, the campaign has reached about a quarter of Gaza’s children, according to the WHO. The vaccination efforts have been made possible after Israel agreed to brief, eight-hour pauses in its bombardment of Gaza.

^{Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stands before a map showing the Gaza Strip, during a press conference for the international media at the Government Press office in Jerusalem, on September 4, 2024. (Image Credit: Abir Sultan/via Reuters)}

West Bank operation

The violence is not limited to Gaza. Israeli forces have expanded their military operations in the occupied West Bank, where tensions have been rising steadily. In the past week, Israeli troops have carried out a series of raids across the West Bank, targeting areas where they believe Palestinian militants are operating.

One of the most intense raids occurred at the Jalazone refugee camp, located north of Ramallah. The camp, home to thousands of Palestinian refugees, was stormed by Israeli troops, resulting in several injuries and arrests.

Meanwhile, the city of Hebron has been under a near-complete lockdown for four consecutive days as Israeli forces have surrounded the area. The Palestinian Authority has reported multiple raids around the cities of Qalqilya, Nablus, and Bethlehem. According to Palestinian officials, at least 33 Palestinians, including seven children, have been killed in Israeli assaults on the West Bank over the past week.

The international community has repeatedly called for calm and a return to negotiations, but such calls have largely gone unheeded in recent years. The failure to achieve a lasting peace has left both Israelis and Palestinians trapped in a cycle of violence that shows no signs of abating.

As the death toll continues to rise, humanitarian organizations have warned of a looming catastrophe in Gaza and the West Bank. With civilians bearing the brunt of the violence, the prospect of a peaceful resolution to the conflict seems increasingly distant.

The ongoing hostilities have left the region on edge, with no clear end. The international community is watching closely, but for the people living in Gaza and the West Bank, the immediate focus is on survival.