United Nations human rights investigators have reported that at least 26 Palestinians were killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza during the Eid holiday period. The monitors in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) condemned the increase in violence as families prepared to observe Eid al-Adha.
Initial reports indicate that 12 Palestinians died in three airstrikes on May 26. The previous day, a teenage girl succumbed to injuries from a strike that also claimed the lives of a woman and a young girl.
One airstrike resulted in the deaths of four men in a Middle Gaza camp, reportedly after they resisted armed individuals allegedly backed by the Israeli military attempting to search their homes. In Khan Younis, two other men were killed when their car was hit by a strike.
A third airstrike targeted an apartment in Gaza City, killing a newly appointed commander of the Hamas Al Qassam Brigades, his wife and three children, along with a female passerby. On May 27, ten individuals reportedly affiliated with Al Qassam Brigades were killed in another strike.
Death, Displacement, and Deprivation in Gaza
The UN human rights office also noted that since the ceasefire announcement in October, Israeli forces have killed 922 Palestinians. This brings the total death toll since the Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023, to nearly 73,000, according to local authorities. Among the casualties since the truce, at least 32 children and eight women have been killed.
The ongoing blockade on Gaza continues to deprive Palestinians of adequate shelter, essential medicines, food, and other necessities. The majority of the population remains displaced, concentrated in a progressively shrinking area, with multiple displacement orders issued recently.
Dire Conditions and ‘Unthinkable’ Attacks
The rights investigators addressed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s announcement directing Israeli forces to expand their deployment to cover 70 percent of Gaza’s territory. They expressed concern that the continued reduction of areas available to civilians raises serious questions about access to humanitarian aid and the ability to find safety.
Ajith Sunghay, head of the human rights office in the OPT, stated that concerns over the commission of war crimes in Gaza persist. “It is difficult enough to navigate life in chronic displacement in the ruins of Gaza, under blockade, and after Israeli attacks virtually destroyed every essential system: healthcare, education, food production, law enforcement and civil order,” he said. “Continuing military attacks on a population living under these conditions is unthinkable.”
Airstrike Near Aid Facilities in Deir al-Balah
In a separate incident, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that an airstrike on Thursday struck a residential area near five humanitarian facilities in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza. No casualties were reported from this specific strike.
This event occurred shortly after the Israeli military issued an order for residents to shelter in place. OCHA continues to advocate for the opening of additional crossings into Gaza to allow for the entry of humanitarian aid and commercial supplies, as only the Kerem Shalom crossing remains operational.
Between May 11-17, humanitarian partners provided mental health and psychosocial support, along with other protection services, to over 10,000 individuals. These services, including recreational activities, art and drama sessions, counseling, and parenting support, were delivered in shelters, camps, schools, and displacement sites.
OCHA emphasized the need for fuel, safe spaces, staff, and other basic resources to sustain these vital services, particularly for children and adolescents.
