A year of genocide continues as humanitarian zone with 400,000 people are affected by Israel airstrike
Contributed photo/ Al Jazeera
Bombs falling from the sky
In Northern Gaza, Al-Aqsa Hospital, a shelter for thousands of patients and families to recover and take safety, was engulfed in flames following Israel’s airstrike.
Al-Jazeera reported that the airstrike took place on October 14 towards a humanitarian zone that was a shelter for over 400,000 Palestinians across Northern Gaza. The explosion has resulted in 471 recovering Palestinians being killed as well as 342 severely injured, with volunteer surgeon Mohammed Tahir telling an Al-Jazeera reporter that they are dealing with victims with over 60 to 80 percent of burns all over their bodies. “Unfortunately, their fate is sealed. They won’t even make it to the ICU. They will die,” said Tahir. Tahir described the scene as a “Horror Show” as he questioned how this kind of suffering could occur, saying, “Honestly, sometimes I feel like this is not real life.”
Many families in Gaza were affected by this and lost families because of the bombing. Ahmed al-Dalou, the father of Shaban al-Dalou, was interviewed by Middle East Eye about his son being killed in the fire while still attached to his IV. Ahmed al-Dalou had severe burns on his hand trying to save his family, but could only save his other two kids, while his wife and son, Shaban al-Dalou, passed away.
“I stood there helpless, completely surrendered…forgive me, my son, I could not help you,” said Ahmed al Dalou. His father described Shabad al-Dalou as a good person who wanted to become an engineer and studied computer science and technology at Al-Azhar University. His father told a Middle East Eye reporter, “He wanted to leave Gaza to continue his studies.”
According to Al-Jazeera’s Live Tracker, the explosion at Al-Aqsa Hospital has raised the death toll to over 42,409 Palestinians, as well as 1,139 Israelis, since October 7, 2023. The United Nations Office and the Palestinian government have said more than half of Gaza’s homes have been damaged or destroyed, 17 of 36 hospitals are partially functional, and 87 percent of schools are demolished. Not only have infrastructure and hospitals been affected, but journalists who are there reporting the attacks in Gaza have been severely affected by the bombings. The International Federation of Journalists reported that at least 120 Palestinian, three Lebanese, and two Israeli journalists have been killed since the attacks on October 7, 2023, in Gaza.
The Oxfam has reported that Israel has killed more women and children in Gaza since October 7 than any other attack in the last 2 decades. Amnesty International, a non-governmental organization, had written an article about the attacks that occurred on October 7 that killed at least 198 Palestinians and left over 1,600 injured as long-rooted violence on Palestinians, as the October 7th attacks were not the first genocide that occurred on the Gaza Strip. These attacks reflect inhumane acts, as listed in international law, that have been occurring for more than 76 years.
Al-Jazeera reported that Israel initially claimed its October 7th attack on Gaza aimed to “eradicate Hamas.” However, an Al-Jazeera reporter has said, “The war on every human being in Gaza has continued since then.”
