More than 130 people killed in 24 hours as Israel pounds Gaza and Lebanon
Horror as Israel hits Gaza hospital: Men burned alive as helpless bystanders look on
Dubai: Israel has ramped up its brutal attacks on Gaza and Lebanon, killing at least 131 people in the past 24 hours.
In Lebanon, Israeli strikes across southern regions and the Bekaa Valley resulted in at least 69 deaths in 24 hours, marking one of the deadliest days in recent weeks, according to the Lebanese health ministry. Nearly half of those killed were in the Chouf district, where many from southern Lebanon had sought refuge.
The Israeli army on Monday said air raid sirens were activated across central Israel, including the commercial hub of Tel Aviv, as projectiles were fired across the border from Lebanon.
“Sirens sounded in a number of areas in central Israel due to projectiles fired from Lebanon into Israeli territory,” the army said in a statement. Ben Gurion Airport was shut down due to rockets fired towards Tel Aviv.
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The US Embassy in Lebanon said on Monday its citizens were strongly encouraged to leave the country “now”, adding that additional flights the embassy organised for its citizens traveling out of Beirut would not continue indefinitely
In Gaza, 62 people were killed, including in a horrific strike on Al Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir Al Balah where a disturbing videos showed a man being burned alive as helpless bystanders looked on.
EU members to suspend free trade agreement with Israel
As Israeli jets pounded Lebanon on Gaza, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Monday urged other members of the European Union to respond to Madrid and Ireland’s request to suspend the bloc’s free trade agreement with Israel over its actions.
For months, both Spain and Ireland have been in talks with other EU countries who want a review of the EU-Israel Association Agreement on the basis that Israel may be breaching the agreement’s human rights clause.
Meanwhile, European Union’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell denounced as “completely unacceptable” a series of Israeli attacks that have injured United Nations peacekeepers in southern Lebanon.
“The 27 (EU) members agreed on asking (the) Israelis to stop attacking UNIFIL,” Borrell told reporters ahead of a meeting of the bloc’s foreign ministers in Luxembourg. “It’s completely unacceptable attacking United Nations troops,” he said. At least five peacekeepers have been wounded in recent days as Israel targets Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.
The Israeli airstrike on the hospital compound in central Gaza early Monday unleashed flames through tents sheltering displaced families, killing at least four and injuring 70 people. “What happened was that we woke up to smoke, flames, fire and burning pieces falling on the tents from every direction. The explosions terrified us in our tents and outside where we live behind Al Aqsa Hospital,” Om Ahmad Radi, a survivor at the scene, told Al Jazeera.
Horrible and brutal night
“The fire trucks couldn’t get here. There were so many burned and charred bodies all over the place. The amount of fire and explosions was enormous. We witnessed one of the most horrible and brutal nights.”
Volunteer surgeon Mohammad Tahir said they were dealing with victims who had burns on 60 to 80 per cent of their bodies — many of whom won’t survive.
“Patients with significant high percentage burns – unfortunately, their fate is sealed. They won’t even make it to the ICU. They will die,” he told Al Jazeera from outside Al Aqsa Hospital.
“It’s a horror show here. Honestly, sometimes I feel like this is not real life, that this can go on, and this degree of suffering is allowed to happen in this world.”
Most of the injured were women and children, with many suffering serious wounds. The situation remains dire as the humanitarian crisis deepens.
“What we’re seeing now in Gaza looks like the depths of hell,” said Jeremy Stoner, Save the Children’s Middle East regional director.
Starving population
There are no safe places across Gaza as continuous attacks put the lives of children and families at risk.
He noted that in the north of the territory, an “already starving population” has been cut off from food for two weeks “while trying to dodge bombs and bullets in a kill zone they cannot leave”.
The strike was yet another instance of Gaza’s hospitals, which are supposed to be afforded extra protection under international law, coming under Israeli attack. And for the displaced civilians, it underscored once again that no place in the Strip is safe.
A witness told The Washington Post the tents caught fire as several explosions rocked the area. Ahmed Al Ras, 41, a photojournalist for Al Kofiya TV, a local network, was at the tent for journalists inside the hospital premises at the time of the strike, which caused gas cylinders to explode, he said.
“The fire was very fast and burned all the tents. I saw three people burning, dozens of injuries and hundreds of families running and screaming and searching for their children,” he said, adding that it took about 40 minutes for the civil defence team to douse the fire.
The IDF said in its statement, without providing details, that it took steps to mitigate civilian harm ahead of the strike. In response to questions from The Post, the IDF media desk said the air force had “conducted a precise strike” on militants operating in a lot adjacent to the hospital building.
Indescribable situation
“Shortly after the strike, a fire ignited in the hospital’s parking lot, most likely due to secondary explosions. The incident is under review,” the IDF said.
In a statement, UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, said its colleague sheltering at the hospital compound described the scene as “terrifying,” adding that the person’s own tent went up in flames. The agency did not share the person’s name out of concern for their safety.
“The situation is indescribable,” the person said in text messages shared with The Post by Louise Wateridge, a spokeswoman for the agency. “We miraculously survived the bombing,” they added.
A widely shared video of the fierce blaze appeared to show at least one person on a bed burning alive while onlookers shouted. A video clip taken by the UNRWA employee and shared with The Post by Wateridge showed rescue workers wrapping a charred body in a blanket. A blackened foot could be seen sticking out of the makeshift shroud.
“There is a state of fear and panic, and the displaced have no shelter but to sleep in the open,” Al Ras said.
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman Mahmoud Bassal said the hospital compound had been targeted by Israel at least half a dozen times previously.