Gaza-Israel Conflict: 53 Palestinians Killed including 14 children amid an Intensive Fight

Intensive airstrikes between Israel and Hamas continue for five days in a tremendous fight since the Gaza war in 2014. The fight resulted in killing 53 Palestinians including 14 children and over 200 wounded. Since Monday, the Israeli army has reported that more than 1,000 rockets were fired from Gaza towards the occupied territories in Israel. The iron dome defense system intercepted 85% of the rockets and the rest struck Tel Aviv and the international airport. Accordingly, this led to the spread of sirens in Israel and the closure of Ben Gurion international airport.

Israeli airstrikes increased dramatically targeting civilians, children, and residential sites and buildings. Prime Minister Netanyahu said that he would expand raids against Hamas and Islamic Jihad group, reporting “This will take time.”

Al-Mezan Center said that “Israel targeted residential and civilian areas as a form of collective punishment. It is a gross of international law and a war crime.”

The Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Fatou Bensouda, stated, “I note with great concern the escalation of violence in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, as well as in and around Gaza, and the possible commission of crimes under the Rome Statute.”

The Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC in 1998, contains four main international crimes; represented in genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and crimes of aggression.

Egypt proposed an initiative to halt the conflict. Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said that “Egypt extensively reached out to Israel and other concerned countries urging them to exert all possible efforts to prevent the deterioration of the situation,”

He added, “but we did not get the necessary response.” Prime Minister Netanyahu ignored the peace initiative. Instead, he vowed more death tolls on Gaza.

Israeli airstrikes led to the collapse of a 13-story residential building, the largest building in Gaza, as well as the Hanadi Tower.

In addition, The Associated Press reported that Israeli aircraft struck a high-rise building in Gaza City early Wednesday morning.  The nine-story building houses residential apartments, medical production companies, and a dental clinic.

According to DW correspondent, she said regarding Tuesday night barrage, “Israeli armed forces launched attacks towards Gaza in the past hours. The attacks were targeting mainly government buildings or police stations, and intelligence stations. We also understand there was a targeted strike on a Hamas intelligence leader, so the latest figures from Gaza, from the Ministry of Health — 35 people were killed, among them children.”

The Co-Chairs of the Parliamentary Friends of Palestine Wednesday morning condemned Israeli violence, stating that “we condemn the violence against worshippers at Al-Aqsa Mosque during Ramadan,”

Adding that “Recent decisions regarding settlements and forced evictions – including in Sheikh Jarrah – undermine progress towards a two-state solution and risk regional stability,” they also said, “Australia should work constructively to support security and human rights to advance a lasting peace in the Middle East.”

World leaders call for an immediate cessation of intensive violence between both sides. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, on Wednesday via Twitter, said, “I am urging Israel and the Palestinians to step back from the brink and for both sides to show restraint,”

He added, “The UK is deeply concerned by the growing violence and civilian casualties and we want to see an urgent de-escalation of tensions.”