Israel Accused of Nearly 500 Gaza Ceasefire Violations, Hundreds Killed
A new report from the Gaza Government Media Office alleges that Israel has violated a United States-brokered ceasefire in Gaza an astonishing 497 times over 44 days, leading to the deaths of hundreds of Palestinians since the agreement commenced on October 10. The report, issued Saturday, claims that among the casualties, 342 were civilians, predominantly children, women, and the elderly.
International Law Breaches and Civilian Casualties
Strong condemnation has been voiced by the Gaza office, which labeled these repeated actions as “serious and systematic violations” of the ceasefire, amounting to a “flagrant breach of international humanitarian law and the humanitarian protocol.” Specifically, it highlighted 27 violations on a single Saturday, resulting in 24 fatalities and 87 injuries.
Humanitarian Aid Restrictions Continue
Beyond direct attacks, Israel is also accused of severely restricting the crucial flow of humanitarian aid and medical supplies into the war-torn enclave, a measure explicitly mandated by the ceasefire agreement. This ongoing blockade exacerbates the dire humanitarian situation for Gaza’s residents.
Disputes Over the 'Yellow Line' Boundary
The Israeli military acknowledged launching recent air attacks across Gaza, which reportedly killed at least 24 Palestinians, including children. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office stated these operations were in response to a Hamas fighter attacking Israeli soldiers within Israeli-occupied territory, near Gaza’s ‘yellow line’. Israel claimed to have eliminated five senior Hamas fighters in retaliation, although Hamas has not yet commented on these specific claims.
A contentious aspect of the ceasefire concerns the ‘yellow line’, an unmarked boundary where Israeli forces were meant to reposition themselves. Local authorities report that dozens of Palestinian families in northern Gaza are currently “besieged” as Israeli forces have advanced deeper into the territory, seemingly breaching this agreed-upon line. Hamas insists that Israel has pushed westward beyond this boundary, effectively altering the terms of the deal.
Calls for Mediators' Intervention
Hamas has vehemently accused Israel of fabricating pretexts to justify its truce violations and return to what it terms a “war of annihilation.” The Palestinian group has urgently called upon the mediators – the United States, Egypt, and Qatar – to intervene immediately, exert pressure on Israel, and ensure it adheres to its commitments, thereby preventing further undermining of the Gaza ceasefire.
