As numerous European nations and top U.S. allies pushed to recognize a Palestinian state, health officials said Sunday that Israeli strikes in Gaza City and at a refugee camp killed over 40 people, including 19 women and children.
14 people were killed in a strike that struck a residential block in the city's southern section late Saturday, according to health officials at Shifa Hospital, where the majority of the remains were taken. According to medical personnel, a hospital nurse, his spouse, and their three kids were among the deceased.
At least eight Palestinians were killed in another strike that hit a group of individuals in front of a clinic in the central Gazan Bureij refugee camp, according to the Al-Awda Hospital. According to the hospital, two mothers and four children are among the deceased. According to the report, 22 more persons were injured.
Regarding the strikes, Israel remained silent.
This week saw the start of the most recent Israeli military campaign, which intensifies the already raging conflict in the Middle East and makes any peace even more improbable. Although the Israeli military, which has ordered Palestinians to evacuate, has not provided a timeframe for the offensive, there have been hints that it may take many months. According to Israel, the goal of the operation is to put pressure on Hamas to release the hostages and submit.
Israeli peace groups have praised the proposed recognition of a Palestinian state ahead of the UN General Assembly. The It's Time Coalition, a coalition of over 60 Arab and Jewish organizations that represent roughly 1,000 activists, including some seasoned groups that advocate for peace and harmony, demanded on Sunday that the war end, the hostages be freed, and a Palestinian state be recognized.
We're not going to live by the sword forever. In a video message, the coalition stated, "The UN decision offers a historic opportunity to move from a death trap to life, from an endless messianic war to a future of security and freedom for both peoples."
Tens of thousands of Israelis demonstrated on Saturday night, demanding a cease-fire and a hostage agreement.
A ceasefire is still elusive, though. Over the last 23 months, Israeli shelling has killed over 65,000 people in Gaza, damaged large swaths of the strip, forced around 90% of the population to flee, and created a devastating humanitarian situation, with experts claiming that starvation is currently raging in Gaza City.
Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom formally recognized Palestinian statehood on Sunday. The action is meant "to revive the hope of peace for the Palestinians and Israelis," according to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Mahmoud Abbas, the president of Palestine, praised the news.
According to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a Palestinian state "will not happen." He accused the international leaders of giving Hamas a "prize" in an irate statement following the announcement of the Commonwealth states' concerted initiative.
"It won't occur," he declared. "West of the Jordan River, a Palestinian state will not be created."
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