People in enclave ‘scared & desperate’ | Israel removes communication blackout
Sandeep Dikshit
New Delhi, October 29
The death toll in the besieged Gaza Strip crossed 8,000 and a breakdown of civil administration was apparent as Israel’s incessant bombing entered the fourth week on Sunday with reports of hungry mobs looting UN aid warehouses.
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The Palestinian health ministry said of the 8,000 Palestinians killed between October 7 and 29, over 3,300 were children and 2,000 women. Thousands of desperate people broke into four UN aid warehouses in Gaza to take away flour and basic hygiene products which the UN said was “a worrying sign that civil order is starting to breakdown after three weeks of war and a tight siege on Gaza. People are scared, frustrated and desperate”. Hamas’ chief in Gaza Yehia Sinwar said they were “ready to immediately” release all hostages if Tel Aviv released all the Palestinian prisoners, but the Israeli military dismissed the offer as “psychological terror”. Despite the Israeli offensive, rockets continued slamming into southern Israel amid a constant wail of sirens.
Two more hospitals were in danger of being bombed even as tanks and infantry pushed into Gaza on Friday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said this was the “second stage” in the war. This “stage” is witnessing the most intense bombardment so far while more ground forces are pouring into Gaza. An Israeli airstrike in Gaza’s Khan Younis killed 13, including 10 from one family. To the partial relief of Gazans, some more aid trucks rolled in from Egypt while Israel lifted the communication blackout. The severity of the bombing can be gauged from the Israeli military’s claim of having hit over 450 targets over the past 24 hours. Netanyahu also figured in a brief social media controversy over his post blaming the intelligence for the October 7 Hamas incursion. Later, he withdrew the statement and apologised.
About 10,000 people sheltering in and around Shifa Hospital and the admitted patients were in harm’s way as Israeli airstrikes hit its vicinity. Israel has accused Hamas of having a secret command post beneath the hospital, without providing much evidence, but for computer-generated images and statements of two alleged Hamas fighters. Airstrikes also hit the neighbourhood of Al-Quds Hospital, where many Gazans have taken shelter.
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