The U.S. Secretary of State, Mr. Blinken, is set to meet with Arab leaders in Jordan to discuss the ongoing conflict in Gaza. This meeting comes in the wake of an Israeli airstrike on an ambulance convoy at Gaza’s largest hospital, al-Shifa, which resulted in 15 deaths and over 60 injuries, reports RTE.
Israel’s military claims the ambulance was being used by a Hamas terrorist cell, but Hamas officials deny these allegations.
The Israeli military has surrounded Gaza City as part of a bombing campaign aimed at eliminating Hamas. This follows a deadly assault by Hamas in southern Israel on October 7, which resulted in 1,400 deaths and over 240 hostages. In response to the escalating violence, Israel has ordered all civilians to evacuate the northern part of Gaza, including Gaza City, reports RTE.
Living conditions in Gaza have worsened significantly due to the conflict. Food and clean water are scarce, medical services are collapsing, and over 9,250 Palestinians have been killed. The United Nations estimates that nearly 1.5 million of Gaza’s 2.3 million population are internally displaced.
In a recent incident, several Palestinians were killed and injured in an Israeli strike on a school serving as a shelter. Exact figures for the casualties have not been provided. Despite the escalating violence, Hamas is prepared for a prolonged war and believes it can withstand Israel’s advance long enough to negotiate a ceasefire.
Mr. Blinken has met with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and called for a humanitarian pause in the fighting. However, the conflict continues, with both sides showing no signs of backing down, reports RTE.
Tell us your thoughts in the Facebook post and share this with your friends.