Gaza Strip, May 20 (H.S.): At least 60 people were killed in recent Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip conducted from midnight to this morning. Humanitarian aid to the region has been severely hindered due to the ongoing violence, with the Israeli army transforming Gaza into a perilous zone. Leaders from Canada, France, and Britain have issued warnings that they will take decisive actions against Israel unless the assaults cease. Israeli forces ordered residents of Khan Younis to evacuate before the bombardment.

In parallel, the Israeli military conducted operations in the West Bank, detaining 10 Palestinians, including a teenager, during raids in Bethlehem and surrounding areas. According to the Palestinian National Authority’s news agency, Wafa, these raids included home searches in Al-Khader and Beit Fajjar.

Since the escalation began on October 7, 2023, the Israeli military has reportedly killed over 53,000 civilians and injured more than 121,000 in Gaza, subjecting the area to its most severe humanitarian crisis in recent history. This morning, further attacks in Khan Younis resulted in additional fatalities. UNRWA has indicated that the humanitarian situation is desperate, with France criticizing Israel’s minimal easing of the blockade as wholly insufficient. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrault emphasized that large-scale assistance is urgently needed, warning that failure to fully lift the blockade will prompt more severe responses.

Additionally, reports emerged of an injury to a civilian in Nablus due to Israeli gunfire, with military patrols occurring in the area without reports of further detentions or injuries. The current situation reflects a continued cycle of violence and humanitarian distress in both Gaza and the West Bank.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar