Israeli Strikes on Gaza Intensify, Schools and Hospitals Targeted, Field Executions, Death Toll Rises
"We cannot keep track of the dead; the numbers are staggering. What we announce is just what we can retrieve," a senior official from the Ministry of Health said.
Gaza (Quds News Network)- A series of Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza Strip has resulted in widespread destruction and a rising death toll, with over 32 civilians killed in the latest attacks. Among the areas hardest hit was Jabalia Refugee Camp, where fires broke out in schools sheltering displaced families after Israeli forces bombed the area.
A senior official from the Ministry of Health, cited by Al Jazeera expressed deep concern over the escalating situation, particularly in northern Gaza. “We cannot keep track of the dead; the numbers are staggering. What we announce is just what we can retrieve,” he said, noting that three hospitals in the north have been rendered non-operational after being targeted by Israeli forces.
Summary Executions Reported
Death Toll and Strained Health ServicesThe Ministry of Health reported that more than 42,519 people have been killed since Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza began over a year ago.
Earlier in the day, two patients in critical care died at the Indonesian Hospital in northern Gaza after Israeli forces destroyed the hospital’s power generator. The hospital had been reliant on the generator due to ongoing electricity cuts.
Munir Al-Bursh, Director General at Gaza’s Ministry of Health, confirmed the deaths and highlighted the urgent need for medical support. “The Israeli army has intensified its attacks on the health infrastructure in the north,” he said, stating that the military is deliberately targeting healthcare facilities.
Israeli tanks reportedly surrounded the Indonesian Hospital in Beit Lahia, demolishing part of its outer wall. The military also bombarded the second and third floors of the hospital, further endangering staff and patients.
Marwan Sultan, the hospital’s director, described the situation as dire, saying, “There are serious risks to medical teams and patients. We call on international and humanitarian organizations to intervene immediately.”
The Israeli army reportedly carried out a series of field executions during the past day, targeting a number of men and young men who were taken from the areas surrounding the Indonesian Hospital, north of Jabalia Refugee Camp in the northern Gaza Strip. The occupation forces dug a deep pit in one of the courtyards near the Indonesian Hospital, where they placed some males with their hands bound and their eyes blindfolded. The soldiers also forced some women who were sheltering in the area around the Indonesian Hospital to leave Jabalia Refugee Camp via Salah Al-Din Street.
Israeli occupation forces detain dozens of Palestinians after raiding several schools housing displaced families in Jabalia, northern Gaza. pic.twitter.com/tcE9KZ3I9L
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) October 19, 2024
At the same time, Israeli artillery struck Al-Awda Hospital three times, injuring several medical staff members, according to a hospital statement. This attack is part of a broader campaign by Israel to cripple the healthcare system in northern Gaza, which has been under siege for the past 15 days.
Communication Blackout
In addition to the bombardments, Gaza’s telecommunications company announced a complete internet blackout in northern Gaza on Saturday. The company, the sole internet provider in the region, attributed the outage to continued Israeli attacks. The blackout has further isolated the already besieged northern Gaza, preventing the flow of vital information and communication with the outside world.
With Israeli strikes intensifying and civilians trapped under siege without access to food, water, or medical supplies, officials in Gaza are urging international organizations to take immediate action. “We are facing an extermination campaign,” a health official warned, as entire neighborhoods in northern Gaza have been obliterated in the relentless airstrikes.
