5 August 2024: In a devastating escalation of the Israel-Palestine conflict, a dozen Palestinians were killed in an Israeli military attack targeting the entrance of the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza. The civil defence agency reports that nearly 300 people have been killed, with hundreds more wounded or missing, following a nine-day ground assault by Israel’s military in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, reported Al Jazeera.
Israel also carried out an attack on the southern outskirts of Beirut, Lebanon, in response to a Hezbollah rocket barrage that killed one person in northern Israel’s HaGoshrim. Displaced Palestinians have begun returning to eastern parts of Khan Younis, only to find the area uninhabitable.
The conflict has resulted in at least 39,400 Palestinian deaths and 90,996 injuries since October 7. In Israel, 1,139 people have been killed during the Hamas-led attacks on October 7, with more than 200 taken captive.
The United Nations Development Programme has reported the collapse of Gaza’s waste management system, which poses severe health and environmental risks. The inability to access major landfills has led to waste accumulation at over 140 temporary dumping sites, resulting in nearly 1 million cases of acute respiratory infections, 575,000 cases of acute watery diarrhoea, and more than 100,000 cases of jaundice.
Adel Abdel Ghafar of the Middle East Council on Global Affairs notes that while Israel must respond to attacks, it faces the challenge of confronting Hezbollah, a battle-hardened force equipped with advanced technology from Iran. Hezbollah has threatened to respond to any Israeli aggression, asserting its readiness for a potential ground invasion.
The Israeli military has announced the completion of its invasion of Khan Younis, claiming to have killed over 150 fighters and dismantled weapon storage facilities. The invasion displaced at least 190,000 Palestinians, with dozens of civilians killed.
Israeli forces have arrested at least 15 people in the occupied West Bank, including children and former prisoners. Since the war began, about 9,870 Palestinians have been detained.
The situation has prompted international concern, with Greece’s Aegean Airlines cancelling flights to Beirut amid fears of regional escalation. The conflict continues to evolve, with both sides trading attacks and preparing for potential further confrontations.
