Israeli Strikes Kill 69 in Gaza, Including Journalist, Targeting UN School

Dec 16, 2024, 07:14 AM

Over the past 24 hours, Israeli military operations in Gaza have resulted in the deaths of at least 69 Palestinians, including children, women, a journalist, and rescue workers. A targeted strike on a United Nations-run school in Khan Younis killed at least 20 displaced Palestinians, while an earlier attack on the Nuseirat refugee camp claimed the life of Ahmad al-Louh, an Al Jazeera video journalist. The Israeli military has accused Hamas of operating from within civilian areas, including schools, which they claim justifies their actions. However, the international community has condemned these attacks, with some labeling them as potential war crimes due to the targeting of civilian infrastructure. The ongoing conflict has now claimed nearly 45,000 lives, with the majority being women and children, and has led to widespread displacement and destruction in the Gaza Strip. Additionally, the war has left 106,759 people injured, with 196 journalists killed since the conflict began, and 11,000 individuals still missing, presumed buried under rubble. The crisis has also severely impacted 50,000 pregnant women, leaving them without essential survival resources, and has resulted in nearly 19,000 children being hospitalized for acute malnutrition. Israel claims to have killed over 17,000 resistance members, while the initial Hamas attack on Israel resulted in 1,200 deaths.