Hamas-run Gaza civil defense and hospitals say the Israeli raids, which occurred overnight and this morning before the ceasefire was restored, have killed more than 100 people across the Strip, including several children. “At least 101 victims were taken to hospital, including 35 children and several women and elderly people, following Israeli raids in less than 12 hours,” says Mahmud Bassal, spokesman for the agency, which operates as a relief force under the authority of Hamas. The toll – reports Times of Israel – is confirmed by an AFP tally of medical reports from 5 hospitals in Gaza.
EU: all parties respect ceasefire
«The EU is carefully following the events that occurred yesterday in Gaza. We reiterate our call on all parties to continue to respect the ceasefire and urgently call on all parties to fully commit to implementing all phases of the plan to end the conflict in Gaza, as well as to cease all actions that could undermine the viability of the ceasefire.” This was stated by the spokesperson of the European Commission for Foreign Affairs, Anouar El Anouni, in the daily press briefing. «We reiterate that there is no military solution to this conflict. It is time to end the cycle of violence, death and destruction,” he concluded.
The parish priest Gaza: the people are exhausted, the aid is not arriving
The situation in Gaza «continues to be very bad. Sure, it’s better than the worst days we’ve experienced, but the bombings don’t stop: there are deaths and destruction. From yesterday to today alone, in the entire Gaza Strip, there have been around ninety deaths, including twenty-four children.” Thus to SIR Father Gabriel Romanelli, Latin parish priest of Gaza City. «It is the Israeli army’s retaliation for the actions of Hamas, or alleged such. The accusations, as always, are mutual. People are exhausted and live in anxiety,” he underlines. «On the one hand, she tries to get back up, to recover, to return to her homes or to find spaces in which she still feels alive, where she can say ‘there is still hope. On the other hand, however, humanitarian aid is not arriving. It’s true that more products have become available in recent weeks, but people don’t have cash. A bank in Gaza city has also been reopened, but it is out of liquidity. Everything seems still, motionless, as before”, he adds.
Are you still able, as a parish, to help the population? «We continue to support the population as we can and with what we have. In these days we will resume lessons for the children of the refugees hosted here in our compound, for the children and also for the children of the teachers. But the numbers are minimal, because our three Catholic schools are full of displaced people.” «We also continue with the activities of the oratory and with the elderly. We are organizing an outing to the sea for them, to at least allow them to see the water, breathe a little freedom”, continues Father Romanelli. Pope Leo «writes to us, sends us messages, sometimes calls us. Not every day, but with great consistency. He is very close to us, as are the patriarch and the nunciature. The last time he sent us a greeting and a blessing for everyone, two days ago. We really feel his closeness.”