On November 19, another series of Israeli air and artillery strikes along the Gaza Strip caused serious casualties among Palestinians. CNN reports that at least 28 people, including young children, were killed in the attacks. This situation once again demonstrated how fragile and unstable the violence in the region is, despite the ceasefire regime established between Israel and Hamas.
According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, nine of those killed in Wednesday's attacks were children. At least 77 more people were injured to varying degrees. One of the most serious symptoms of the situation is the sharp increase in the number of injured individuals admitted to Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital last night. Ambulances were continuously transporting people, and inside the hospital lay rows of dead bags, among which were the bodies of three children covered in dust.
According to the Gaza Emergency Services, the bloodiest attack of the day occurred in the Olive neighborhood. It is noted that 10 people died here at the same time. According to local residents and rescuers, the intensity of the attack destroyed houses and residential buildings, leaving many people under the rubble.
After these events, both sides began to blame each other. Israeli officials, citing "several shots fired" at IDF soldiers around Khan Yunus, stated that a Hamas target had been hit. They noted this as a "violation of the peace agreement." However, Hamas denied these accusations, stating that the Israeli side "is looking for an excuse to justify the ongoing violence." Hamas also appealed to the US, calling for serious pressure to force Israel to comply with the truce.
The latest escalation occurred several days after the UN Security Council approved the US-proposed resolution on Gaza. According to this resolution, the next stages of achieving peace in the region were defined.
Not stopping there, Israel also launched airstrikes yesterday on weapons depots in southern Lebanon allegedly belonging to Hezbollah. Two days ago, it was reported that 13 people died in a strike on a Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon.
The new attack in Gaza was noted as the third major escalation since the truce came into force. In two previous attacks, Israel reported the deaths of approximately 150 Palestinians, as well as three soldiers from its side.
Nevertheless, the main points of the truce remain in force for now. The Trump administration and a number of international mediators are currently developing further steps to ensure long-term peace in Gaza. These stages include complex conditions such as Hamas's disarmament, the deployment of international security forces, and the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops.
However, many political observers are concerned that due to repeated escalations, the truce may break down again before reaching a stable stage.
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