The Gaza Strip was steeped in grief on Friday as dozens of families mourned the loss of 33 Palestinians killed in an Israeli airstrike that targeted a post office in the densely populated Nuseirat refugee camp. The victims, many of whom were seeking refuge from the ongoing conflict, included women and children. Families gathered at Al-Awda Hospital to identify their loved ones, their pain palpable as they prepared for burial.
The attack, which occurred late Thursday, also damaged nearby homes, displacing more families. Israeli authorities claimed the strike targeted a senior Islamic Jihad leader, accusing the group of using civilian infrastructure to shield its operations. However, the strike resulted in significant civilian casualties, further deepening the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
A Scene of Devastation
Louise Wateridge, a senior emergency officer for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), described the harrowing scenes in Nuseirat. “There are parents looking for their children, children covered in dust and blood, and people still buried under the rubble,” she said in a video briefing from Gaza. Her account highlighted the dire conditions faced by displaced families and the escalating toll of the conflict.
Medics reported that many of the victims were sheltering in the post office after being forced to flee their homes due to earlier violence. Nuseirat, one of Gaza’s eight original refugee camps, has become a haven for those displaced by the ongoing war. The densely packed urban area, already struggling with limited resources, has now been further devastated.
The Human Cost of War
The Mattar family was among those struck by tragedy. Suheil Mattar, who lost his grandchildren and daughter-in-law in the airstrike, expressed his anguish. “They have killed the hope and optimism,” he lamented. “Every time we think there will be a truce, they change their minds. We don’t know why.”
The current conflict, now in its 14th month, began after Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Hamas gunmen killed approximately 1,200 people and took around 250 hostages into Gaza, according to Israeli reports. In response, Israel has carried out extensive airstrikes, leading to massive destruction in the enclave. Palestinian health officials report nearly 44,900 deaths since the conflict began, alongside widespread displacement and disease.
Ceasefire Efforts and Rising Tensions
Efforts to broker a ceasefire have repeatedly stalled despite mediation by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States. U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, speaking in Tel Aviv on Thursday, indicated that a potential ceasefire and hostage release deal might be close. However, no concrete resolution has been reached, and hostilities continue to escalate.
Israel maintains that its operations are aimed at dismantling militant networks, citing the use of civilian infrastructure by groups like Islamic Jihad. Yet, the high civilian death toll and destruction of essential infrastructure have drawn international condemnation. On Friday, separate airstrikes in Gaza killed at least 12 more people, including three members of a displaced family in Khan Younis and a journalist in Gaza City.
A Worsening Humanitarian Crisis
The humanitarian situation in Gaza is dire. The enclave’s 2.3 million residents face severe shortages of food, water, and medical supplies. The destruction of homes and public facilities has left nearly all residents displaced, compounding the crisis.
The international community continues to call for an immediate end to hostilities and unfettered humanitarian access to Gaza. However, with no resolution in sight, the suffering of civilians remains unabated, underscoring the urgent need for a sustainable solution to the protracted conflict.
