Horrific Massacre in Shejaiyya: Scores Killed in Israeli Shelling across Gaza
Israeli shelling, including a horrific massacre in Shejaiyya, killed scores in Gaza, while the Strip grapples with a severe water crisis due to damaged infrastructure and blocked aid.
Scores of Palestinians were killed and many others sustained injuries on Wednesday, due to Israeli shelling that targeted both the southern and central areas of the Gaza Strip. Meanwhile, the Gaza Municipality issued a warning about an impending water crisis affecting the civilian population.
An Israeli strike on a residence situated on Baghdad Street in the Shejaiyya neighborhood, located east of Gaza City, resulted in the deaths of at least 20 Palestinians and injuries to approximately 50 more, Al-Jazeera reported.
Mahmoud Basal, the spokesperson for Gaza Civil Defense, informed Al-Jazeera that the number of fatalities from the Israeli bombardment of Shejaâiyya could potentially reach 50, highlighting that the injuries included burns and amputations.
He further stated that the Israeli forces deliberately aimed to cause the maximum possible number of deaths in their attack on the Shejaiyya neighborhood.
Additionally, a medical source reported the deaths of two Palestinians, including a child, in an Israeli airstrike that targeted an apartment belonging to the al-Hajj family within the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip. Another Palestinian succumbed to wounds from a previous Israeli airstrike.
The source also indicated that two more Palestinians, one of whom was a woman, were killed in an Israeli attack on two tents housing displaced individuals west of Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip.
Eyewitnesses reported the continuation of the Israeli armyâs practice of bombing residential buildings northwest of Rafah, also in the southern Gaza Strip.
Palestinian sources reported that Israeli occupation forces targeted the eastern areas of Gaza City with artillery shelling, adding that vehicles belonging to these forces were engaged in intensive firing towards these areas.
Water Crisis
In a separate development, the Gaza Municipality announced that the Strip was facing a severe water shortage, entering its sixth consecutive day following the shutdown of the Mekorot water pipeline.
The municipality attributed this shutdown to damage sustained by the pipeline east of the Shejaâiyya neighborhood as a result of Israeli attacks.
The municipality stated that its teams are awaiting authorization to access the damaged site to carry out the necessary repairs. It is important to note that the Mekorot water supply accounts for roughly 70% of the water distributed to residents and displaced people in Gaza City.
The Gaza Municipality appealed to international bodies and humanitarian organizations for their urgent intervention to grant their crews access to the damaged site for the purpose of completing maintenance work and ensuring the prompt resumption of water pumping.
The municipality further noted that Israeli forces had destroyed 64 out of 86 water wells during the ongoing conflict and that efforts were underway to operate the remaining 22 wells using solar power and backup generators.
The Ministry of Health in Gaza said in a statement that the lack of adequate nutrition and drinking water in the Gaza Strip exacerbates existing health challenges.
The ministry stated that 60,000 children in the Gaza Strip are at risk of serious health complications due to malnutrition, underscoring that the closure of Gazaâs crossings for food and medicine is worsening the malnutrition crisis.
Meanwhile, Al Jazeera obtained images showing hundreds of humanitarian aid trucks unable to reach Gaza City. This situation arises as Israel continues to block all aid from entering the Gaza Strip for the fifth consecutive week, despite appeals from international humanitarian organizations that have warned of the lives of hundreds of thousands of Gazan children being threatened by hunger and malnutrition.
The closure of the crossings has led to a halt in health services and surgical procedures, particularly concerning, given the increasing number of casualties resulting from the intensified Israeli attacks.
The health sector is facing deteriorating conditions, which raises the possibility of a higher death toll among patients and the injured who are unable to access essential treatment.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) called for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
Ongoing Genocide
The renewed Israeli violence on March 18 has broken a ceasefire that began on January 19. The latest military actions have killed hundreds of Palestinians and injured many more, primarily civilians, including women and children.
While the violations have been condemned by numerous countries and human rights groups, the US has continued its support for Israel, asserting that the military campaign was carried out with prior knowledge and approval from Washington.
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Since October 2023, Israel has killed over 50,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and left Gaza in ruins.
In November 2024, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its actions in the besieged enclave.
(PC, AJA)
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