Israel intensifies shelling and demolitions in Khan Younis overnight
Israel has been shelling parts of the eastern regions of the city of Khan Younis with artillery and air raids, our colleagues on the ground report, which have been ongoing since the early hours of this morning.
Israel has also carried out demolitions across the city.
Palestinian children bear lasting trauma from Gaza air raids and violence
Palestinian parents and children continue to grapple with deep psychological scars after more than two years of Israeli assault.
Khalil al-Shareef says his young daughter, Lana, survived an Israeli air raid in which “the roof collapsed on her from the force of the explosion”. He told Al Jazeera she later developed vitiligo from chemical exposure and now “panics every time she hears an explosion”.
In Gaza City, child survivor Abed Al Aziz Abu Hawishal said an Israeli soldier pointed a gun at his head and recalled “a massacre in our neighbourhood, bodies were flying over our house”.
He added, “I saw a woman without a head, and I even stepped on bodies as I ran, terrified for my life.”
‘Israel intensifies Gaza attacks, restricting vital aid supplies to vulnerable populations’
Israel has stepped up the tempo and intensity of attacks across Gaza in recent days and maintains certain restrictions on aid, meaning necessary volumes of humanitarian supplies cannot reach people.
Luciano Zaccara, a Middle East political analyst, has told Al Jazeera that the measures Israel is taking are “not necessary to take these kinds of severe attacks against the population”.
“At the end of the day, these are targeting people, children, livelihoods of people in Gaza. There is nothing that justifies this kind of behaviour,” he said.
“Other mechanisms can be used as leverage to push Hamas to finish what they have to do,” Zaccara added, referring to the handover of the remains of captives, which is part of the ceasefire agreement.
