### Continuous Bombardment in Gaza Results in Rising Casualties

Jerusalem – Hospital officials in Gaza have reported that at least 72 individuals were killed in Israeli strikes over the last day, with the true number potentially much higher due to communication issues in the region. The central town of Khan Younis was heavily impacted, where airstrikes on Friday claimed the lives of 38 people, including 13 children from a single family. The devastated relatives gathered in the morgue of the local European hospital, some resorting to using a single shroud for several children.

The recent airstrikes in the Manara neighborhood left survivors combing through the ruins for personal items like clothes and documents. Among the grieving is Saleh al-Farra, who lost his teenage siblings. Al-Farra recounted how his family sought refuge in the center of their building before it was directly hit, causing it to collapse and knocking him unconscious.

The Israeli military stated it had targeted Palestinian combatants through air and ground operations in the area. However, the situation in northern Gaza has escalated since the fierce offensive initiated by Israel on October 6, which critics claim aims to displace the remaining population. Due to interruptions in internet and phone services, information on the reported airstrike on the Jabaliya refugee camp remains scarce. An anonymous Al Jazeera journalist suggested that the attack resulted in 150 casualties, though official confirmation is hindered by Israeli presence and communication breakdowns.

In a stark warning, UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk expressed deep concern over the escalating crisis in northern Gaza. He argued that the Israeli military's actions are pushing the local population towards severe hardship, bordering on potential crimes against humanity. "Unimaginably, the situation is getting worse by the day," Türk emphasized, highlighting the extreme nature of the conflict.

Further compounding the crisis, the civil defense service in Jabaliya has ceased operations due to the targeting of its personnel and resources. Civil defense spokesperson Mahmoud Bassal echoed the claim of 150 fatalities. Meanwhile, hospitals in northern Gaza are on the brink of collapse under an almost complete blockade of aid and medical supplies by Israeli forces. The Kamal Adwan hospital, recently raided by the Israeli military under the suspicion that Hamas operatives were present, received conflicting reports about the arrival of fuel and supplies – some crediting the delivery to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, the hospital's director, shared a desperate plea via social media, revealing that some patients had already died from the lack of essential medicine and that a doctor was killed en route to work. The WHO estimates that approximately 200 patients are currently at the facility.

The humanitarian situation has prompted Türk to call upon global leaders to intervene. He reminded them of their obligations under the Geneva conventions to ensure adherence to international humanitarian law. "For months, I have pleaded with all parties to the conflict, as well as all states... to act to stop the carnage," Türk declared, decrying the ongoing devastation.

International efforts to broker a peace deal in the Israel-Gaza conflict, exacerbated by Hamas's October 7 attack, are anticipated to resume next week. However, current discussions indicate that only a temporary truce of 12 days may be on the table, falling short of a long-term ceasefire aimed at ending the war.