EXPLANER
The number of Palestinians killed in Israel’s war on Gaza approaches 30,000 while children suffer from malnutrition and dehydration.
Here’s how things are going on Thursday February 29, 2024:
Fighting and humanitarian crisis
- Israeli airstrikes killed at least 25 people in the Nuseirat and Bureij camps in central Gaza, the Palestinian Wafa news agency reported.
- Two hospitals in northern Gaza have no fuel to run their generators as they treat children suffering from malnutrition and dehydration.
- Kamal Adwan Hospital director Ahmed al-Kahlout told Tel Aviv Tribune Arabic that seven children died at the hospital on Wednesday due to malnutrition.
- The Gaza Health Ministry also reported that two children died of dehydration and malnutrition at al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City.
- The number of Palestinians killed in Israel’s war on Gaza is approaching 30,000, with 76 people killed between Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning, bringing the death toll to 29,954, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
Regional tensions and diplomacy
- British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak says ‘mob rule is replacing democratic rule’ in the UK, as politicians face abuse for expressing their views on Israel’s war on Gaza , leaving some fearing for their safety.
- Meanwhile, in the European Parliament, a Swedish MP spent most of her speaking time during a European parliamentary session in silence to protest Israel’s war on Gaza.
- Canadian International Development Minister Ahmed Hussen said the country was exploring options to deliver humanitarian aid and that “airdrops of aid to Gaza, in partnership with like-minded countries like Jordan,” were possible.
- New Zealand on Thursday classified the entire Palestinian group Hamas as a terrorist entity and imposed travel bans on “extremist” Israeli settlers who it said had carried out violent attacks against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.
- In the Middle East, the Israeli military released video footage purporting to show recent jet fighter attacks on targets in the Kafra and Siddikine areas of southern Lebanon.
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In Syria, air defenses intercepted Israeli strikes near the capital, Damascus, state media said on Wednesday. Syrian state media gave no further details about the attacks or the intended targets.
Violence in the occupied West Bank
- Israeli forces shot dead a Palestinian during their capture of the town of Beit Furik, east of Nablus in the occupied West Bank, the Wafa news agency reported.
- Israeli forces carried out raids elsewhere in the occupied West Bank, including the following locations: the town of Arraba and the village of Jalbun in Jenin governorate, the town of Qaffin, north of the town of Tulkarem, the town of ‘Azzun, east of the town of Qalqilya. , the city of Hebron and the town of Bani Naim, east of Hebron.