Over 700 Palestinians Killed in 19 Days of Strikes in Gaza’s Jabalia Camp

In the past two weeks, Israeli airstrikes on the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza have resulted in the deaths of more than 700 Palestinians, according to a statement from Gaza’s Government Media Office released on Wednesday.

The ongoing military operations have also left over 1,000 individuals injured, while reports indicate that more than 200 civilians, including women, have been kidnapped by Israeli forces, raising concerns about potential executions, the office claimed.

Gaza’s Media Office reported that the humanitarian situation has reached a critical level, with over 100,000 wounded and sick individuals in northern Gaza requiring urgent assistance. However, aid delivery has been severely hindered as Israeli airstrikes have destroyed four hospitals in the region. The ongoing aggression is part of a larger military campaign that has persisted for 19 days, with Israeli forces extending their assaults into surrounding areas such as Beit Lahia and Beit Hanoun.

First responders from the Palestinian Civil Defense have shared video evidence of being fired upon while attempting to rescue civilians after an airstrike targeted a family home in Jabalia’s Fakhoura area. The situation on the ground continues to deteriorate as reports indicate a widespread humanitarian crisis, with the United Nations noting that no trucks carrying essential supplies such as food, water, or medicine have entered northern Gaza since September 30.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres and several world leaders have condemned the rising civilian casualties stemming from Israeli military actions. Philippe Lazzarini, commissioner-general of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), described the atmosphere in Gaza, stating, “One year of war knocks Gaza back to the early 1950’s. According to a latest UN study: the war has devastated the Palestinian economy + left nearly all of Gaza's population in poverty, with life indicators like health + education regressing by 70 years. The longer this goes on, the longer it takes to bring back hundreds of thousands of girls & boys to a learning environment, the more extreme the challenges will be to undo these huge losses.”

Since the outbreak of hostilities in October 2023, nearly 43,000 Palestinians have reportedly been killed, with over 100,000 injured. Many of those injured remain unable to access medical care due to an ongoing blockade by Israeli forces, leading to severe shortages of vital supplies. Despite increasing international calls for an immediate ceasefire and a UN Security Council resolution addressing the crisis, Israeli military operations continue unabated, exacerbating the humanitarian situation and displacing a significant portion of Gaza's population.