Recent events in Gaza
- Israeli forces stormed a school sheltering displaced Palestinians in northern Beit Hanoon, killing at least 15 people. The victims included a family of four, including two children.
- The military also bombed a Civil Defence Post in the central Nuseirat refugee camp, killing Al Jazeera cameraman Ahmed al-Louh and five emergency workers.
- Earlier in the day, an Israeli air attack killed Palestinian journalists Mohammed Jabr al-Qrinawi and Mohammed Balousa. Israel’s war on Gaza has killed at least 195 media workers.
- Israel says it will close its embassy in Ireland, citing Dublin’s recognition of a Palestinian state and support for South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice for its actions in Gaza.
Death toll from Israel’s war on Gaza surpasses 45,000
Israel’s war on Gaza has now killed more than 45,000 people, the Ministry of Health in the besieged and battered Palestinian enclave has confirmed. The revised death toll, which includes 17,000 children, was announced by officials on Monday, marking another grim milestone in the 14-month war.
It does not include the 11,000 missing Palestinians who are thought to be trapped under the rubble.
Some 96% of Gaza’s children feel their death is imminent, study finds
The assessment conducted by rights groups in Gaza found that some 96 percent of children surveyed felt their death was imminent while 49 percent expressed a desire to die. It also found that 92 percent of children were “not accepting of reality”, 79 percent suffered from nightmares and 73 percent displayed symptoms of aggression.
Helen Pattinson, chief executive of War Child UK, called the report “one of the most horrifying insights into the mental wellbeing of children anywhere in the world”.
She said Gaza’s children are bearing the brunt of a war they had no role in starting, suffering from both the destruction of physical infrastructure and the psychological scars left by war’s brutality.
Ireland won’t be silenced over Israel’s war on Gaza, says PM
We have some more comments from Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris after Israel’s decision to shut down its Dublin embassy citing Ireland’s recognition of a Palestinian state and support for South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice.
Speaking to reporters in a Dublin suburb, Harris accused Israel of engaging in “distraction” policies, adding that he was very proud of Ireland standing up for the Palestinian people.
“You’re all here today asking about Ireland’s position. What about Israel’s actions?” Harris said.
“What about what Netanyahu is doing to the innocent children of Gaza? This is the diplomacy of distraction. I think it is deeply regrettable that they took that decision. They have every right to take that decision to close the embassy. I’d rather it didn’t happen.
“We will continue to engage, continue to engage diplomatically, but nobody is going to silence Ireland. We know right from wrong,” Harris said. He continued: “We value human rights, we respect international law. We expect international law to be applied consistently.”
Harris also said he would keep the Irish embassy in Israel open. “We will also not allow our position to be misrepresented by Israel, by the government of Israel,” he added.
“Do you know what I think is reprehensible? Killing children. I think that’s reprehensible. You know what I think is reprehensible? Seeing
the scale of civilian deaths that we’ve seen in Gaza. You know what I think is reprehensible? About people being left to starve and humanitarian aid not flowing.”
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