The current situation surrounding Israel and Gaza remains highly tense and violent.
In central Gaza, 26 people were killed in Israeli airstrikes on a mosque and school early Sunday morning, October 6, 2024.
The strikes hit Ibn Rushd school and the Al-Aqsa Martyrs mosque in Deir al-Balah, according to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) stated that they were targeting Hamas militants using these locations as “command and control” centers.
The IDF said, “Before the attacks, many steps were taken to reduce the chance of harming civilians, including the use of precision weaponry, aerial surveillance, and additional intelligence information.”
However, the Hamas government accused Israel of “bombing citizens’ homes and demolishing them over their heads.”
In north Gaza, Israeli forces have surrounded the Jabalia area as part of efforts to prevent Hamas from rebuilding in the region.
The IDF also reopened two evacuation routes to humanitarian zones in southern Gaza. Despite these efforts, videos verified by the BBC show bodies and rubble in the aftermath of the strikes.
This escalation comes nearly a year after the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed 1,200 people and led to 251 hostages being taken.
Since then, nearly 42,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza’s health ministry.
Global protests have erupted in response to the violence.
On Saturday, October 5, 2024, approximately 40,000 demonstrators marched in London, with similar rallies taking place in Paris, Rome, New York, and Jakarta.
Protesters demanded an end to the conflict and denounced U.S. support for Israel.
Protests have also emerged across the Middle East, including in Rabat, Morocco, where demonstrators called for an end to the conflict.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated that Israel’s actions are necessary to prevent another attack like that of October 7, 2023, while international pressure mounts over the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza.
