Israel conducts relentless and brutal week of airstrikes as ceasefire talks are ongoing
London, 18th December 2024 – The International Centre of Justice for Palestinian’s condemns Israel’s relentless and brutal bombing campaign across Gaza, as rumours of an imminent ceasefire deal continue to circulate. A ceasefire must happen immediately to put an end to Israel’s genocide of Palestinians in Gaza, and any ceasefire must protect against Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine as well as de facto annexation and resettlement of Palestine. Overnight, at least 20 Palestinians were killed by Israeli strikes in Beit Lahiya, Gaza City, Nuseirat and Rafah, the latest attack of many in the past week.
Despite Israeli negotiators visiting Qatar to discuss a ceasefire with Hamas, Israel has conducted yet another brutal week of airstrikes across Gaza. Last Thursday, only hours after the UN General Assembly overwhelmingly approved a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire, Israel killed thirty Palestinians in a strike on the post office in Nuseirat refugee camp in Central Gaza. In the same day, an Israeli quadcopter drone killed the last orthopaedic doctor in northern Gaza, Saeed Judeh, whilst he was travelling from Kamal Adwan hospital to al-Awda hospital.
A day earlier, at least thirty-eight Palestinians were killed in strikes on Northern and Central Gaza, particularly in Beit Lahiya in the North. In these strikes, journalist Eman Al-Shanti was killed along with her three children and husband, as was the 95-year old father of Amer al-Bayumi. On the same day in Rafah in the South, twelve Palestinians were killed in a drone attack on an aid convoy.
On Sunday, 15th December, at least fifty-four Palestinians were killed in a series of strikes on Gaza that hit two schools. The strikes took place across Gaza. One hit a school in Khan Younis in the South, killing sixteen people. A separate strike on Khalil Aweida school in the North in Beit Hanoun killed at least fifteen people. Further strikes in Central Gaza targeted Nuseirat refugee camp. One man, Yahia al Yazji lost his three-month pregnant wife and his daughter, whilst an Al Jazeera journalist named Ahmed al-Louh was also killed.
This week of brutal bombardment is emblematic of Israel’s wider campaign of genocide. The targeting of civilians from three-month pregnant women to ninety-five year-old men, the targeting of doctors, journalists, and aid workers, the targeting of refugee camps and schools all point to one thing: making Gaza incompatible with sustaining human life.
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
- The International Centre of Justice for Palestinians is an independent organisation of lawyers, politicians and academics who support the rights of Palestinians and aim to protect their rights through the law.
- Wednesday bombing source: https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/gaza-airstrike-33-dead-1.7407195;https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/12/12/israeli-drone-attack-on-gaza-aid-convoy-kills-12-as-hunger-crisis-deepens
- Thursday bombing source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/dec/12/israeli-attacks-kill-28-people-hours-after-un-demands-ceasefire-in-gaza
- Sunday bombing source: https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20241215-gaza-rescuers-say-18-palestinians-killed-in-israeli-strikes
- UN General Assembly resolution source: https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/un-general-assembly-overwhelmingly-demands-immediate-gaza-ceasefire-2024-12-11/
- For more information, to arrange an interview with an ICJP spokesperson, please contact the ICJP news desk at press@icjpalestine.com.