U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris expressed concern over the loss of innocent Palestinian lives in Gaza due to Israeli airstrikes and artillery bombardment. The intensification of conflict follows the collapse of a truce with Hamas, leading to a surge in civilian casualties and fears of an impending Israeli ground operation.
The Gaza health ministry reported casualties, with at least 193 Palestinians killed and 650 wounded since the truce’s end.
In Dubai, Harris emphasized respecting international and humanitarian law and highlighted the civilian suffering in Gaza. She also outlined the U.S. vision for post-conflict Gaza, focusing on recovery support and strengthening Palestinian security forces. The goal is to see a unified Gaza and West Bank under the Palestinian Authority, with Palestinian voices central to these efforts.
At the Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, medical staff struggled to treat the overwhelming number of wounded, some receiving care on the hospital floor. The International Committee of the Red Cross described the situation as a new layer of destruction. With Gaza nearing a breaking point, the first aid trucks since the truce’s end entered from Egypt. Meanwhile, the warring sides blamed each other for the truce’s collapse. Israel accused Hamas of not adhering to the agreement on releasing hostages, while French President Francois Macron announced plans to work on a new truce in Qatar.
The southern region of Gaza, including Khan Younis and Rafah, faced heavy bombardment. Residents reported destroyed houses and mosques, with smoke columns rising into the sky. Displaced Gazans, already sheltering in these areas due to northern conflicts, feared further southward advancement of Israeli troops.
The Nasser Hospital was hit by airstrikes, complicating the situation for the displaced and wounded. Amidst the chaos, the death of the president of the Islamic University of Gaza, a prominent physicist, and his family in a bombing was reported.
