Israel continued its bombardment of Gaza on Thursday, despite intensifying international calls for it to reduce civilian casualties from the strikes, while deadly diseases are spreading among the displaced population. Israel has destroyed a large part of the Palestinian territory. The Gaza Ministry of Health reported at least 18,608 people killed and 50,594 others injured in Israeli strikes on Gaza. Palestinian doctors and relief organizations say the vast majority of the 2.3 million population have fled their homes, making them vulnerable to diseases including gastroenteritis and hepatitis A.
Juliet Touma, the communication and media director of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), stated, "What is happening is that people are fleeing and are forced to continue to be displaced, some having been displaced multiple times, and many do not have basic sanitation supplies, and many lack winter clothing." The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs indicated that the coastal enclave is now facing a public health disaster due to the collapse of its healthcare system and the spread of diseases. Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory Lynn Hastings said, "It is a perfect environment for epidemics and a public health disaster."
In central Rafah in the southern coastal region, media outlets affiliated with Hamas reported early today that 24 people were killed in an Israeli strike that hit two homes. No confirmation was available yet from the Palestinian Ministry of Health. White House spokesperson John Kirby told reporters that the National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, who is visiting the region and will be in Israel today and tomorrow, will discuss with Israeli officials the need for their strikes against Hamas targets to be more precise. Another American official noted that Sullivan met with Saudi officials on Wednesday and discussed making "more diplomatic efforts to maintain stability across the region and prevent the conflict between Israel and Hamas from escalating."
A new U.S. intelligence assessment reported by CNN found that nearly half of the air-to-ground munitions used by Israel in Gaza in its war with Hamas were unguided, a type of munitions that lacks guidance systems and is also known as "dumb bombs." The network stated that the assessment was compiled by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and its contents were shared with them by three sources aware of it. The CNN report added that between 40% and 45% of the approximately 29,000 air-to-ground munitions used by Israel were unguided, while the rest were precision-guided munitions.
Concerns remain about the expansion of the conflict in the already troubled region. Marine sources reported on Wednesday that an oil tanker in the Red Sea came under fire off the coast of Yemen from armed militants in a speedboat and was targeted by missiles. This incident marks the latest in threats to the vital shipping lane after Houthi forces supported by Iran in Yemen warned ships against traveling to Israel. According to a study conducted by the United Nations Development Programme, the cost of the war between Israel and Hamas on neighboring countries Lebanon, Egypt, and Jordan, in terms of lost GDP, could reach $10.3 billion or approximately 2.3%, and could double if the conflict continues for another six months.
Two informed sources indicated that the Biden administration postponed the sale of more than 20,000 American-made rifles to Israel due to concerns about an increase in attacks by Israeli settlers on Palestinians in the West Bank. The Palestinian Ministry of Health announced on Thursday three Palestinians were killed during an ongoing Israeli raid in the city of Jenin and the city's refugee camp in the occupied West Bank. Prior to this operation, the ministry reported that 275 Palestinians had been killed in the West Bank since Hamas's attack on southern Israel on October 7. UNRWA stated in a post on X platform that at least 288 displaced persons in its shelters in Gaza have been killed since then. An Israeli military website reported that the number of Israeli soldiers killed in the ground attack has reached 115, with more than 600 injured.
Israeli Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi told injured soldiers during a Jewish holiday celebration in Ramat Gan, "Your heroism and the heroism of those who sadly fell and we could not bring them to this stage of rehabilitation, is the light that drives out the darkness, and there is much light in this room."
Protests and Walkouts
Some Biden administration employees staged a protest outside the White House late Wednesday, calling on Washington to support a ceasefire in Gaza. The group, consisting of about 60 individuals, held a banner reading "President Biden, Your Employees Demand a Ceasefire." Participants in the rally stated through a speech delivered by Josh Paul, a former State Department official who resigned a few weeks ago, "We were horrified by the brutal attacks that took place on October 7 on Israeli civilians, and we were appalled by the disproportionate response from the Israeli government that has indiscriminately killed thousands of innocent Palestinian civilians in Gaza and displaced over a million others."
In New York, a demonstration was held demanding the release of the remaining 135 hostages in Gaza. Most Israelis believe the military should not retreat from its ongoing assault to crush Hamas. Jerusalem resident Adam Saville stated, "It is terrible. Terrible that there are so many civilian casualties. But this is war, and this is what happens in war."
