August 2024 Deir el-Balah attacks

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August 2024 Deir el-Balah attacks
Part of the Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip during the Israel–Hamas war
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Az-Zawayda
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Nuseirat camp
Locations within the Gaza Strip
Location Az-Zawayda and Nuseirat refugee camp, Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip
Date17 August 2024
Attack type
Airstrikes and naval strikes
Deaths34+ Palestinians [1]
InjuredMultiple [1]
PerpetratorFlag of the Israel Defense Forces.svg  Israel Defense Forces

On 17 August 2024, the Israel Defense Forces conducted a series of military attacks on az-Zawayda in Deir al-Balah and in the Nuseirat refugee camp, killing at least 34 people including a family of fifteen. The military strikes and civilian deaths were conducted shortly following the conclusion of ceasefire negotiations in Qatar between Hamas and Israel, mediated by the United States. [1]

Background

In the midst of the attacks, ceasefire negotiations were ongoing in the Qatari capital of Doha between Israel and Hamas, mediated by the United States. United States President Joe Biden made a statement on the eve of the attacks stating that he was "optimistic" about the progress made towards bridging gaps in demands and towards negotiating a ceasefire agreement. [1]

Contrary to this, Israeli officials states that they are attempting to "lower expectations" of a ceasefire deal due to significant gaps between Israel and Hamas demands. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that there were multiple red lines he refused to negotiate or compromise on. Similarly, a senior official of Hamas called Biden's optimism towards both parties moving closer to a ceasefire agreement was "an illusion" and that they were "not facing a deal or real negotiations, but rather the imposing of American diktats." [1]

Attacks

An IDF air raid targeted a family home and a warehouse next to it that was being used as a shelter for displaced people near the entrance of the town of az-Zawayda in the Deir el-Balah Governorate. Eyewitness Ahmed Abu al-Ghoul reported that three rockets targeted the buildings, and that they made direct strikes on the structures. [2] The airstrike killed fifteen members of the family of Sami Jawad al-Ejlah, a seller of goods to retailers who worked with Israel troops to distribute food across the Gaza Strip to provide aid during the humanitarian crisis. [3] One of the surviving relatives stated that "They were all dismembered. There wasn’t a single complete body." [1] The bodies of the victims were taken to the Shuhada al-Aqsa Hospital. A list created by the hospital reported that in addition to Sami, his two wives, eleven of their children aged from two to twenty-two, the grandmother of the children, and three separate relatives were killed in the airstrike. [3]

A family in the Nuseirat refugee camp was struck by Israeli Navy boats firing on a residential tower, killing at least seven members. [1] [4]

The IDF shelled a home in the al-Hakr area killing or wounding several citizens. [1]

Responses

The Israeli Defense Forces stated that they had targeted "terrorist infrastructure" in Deir el-Balah following the launching of rockets from the area. [3]

See also

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maghazi refugee camp</span> Palestinian refugee camp in the Deir al-Balah Governorate in the central Gaza Strip

Maghazi is a Palestinian refugee camp located in the Deir al-Balah Governorate in the central Gaza Strip. It was established in 1949. The camp is built on 559 dunums (0.6 km2). In July 2023, the UNRWA reported its population to be 33,000. During the first months of the 2023 Israel–Hamas war, its population tripled and faced repeated airstrikes by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF).

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Az-Zawayda, also spelled Zawaida, is a Palestinian town in the Gaza Strip, in the Deir al-Balah Governorate of the State of Palestine. It is located about three kilometers northeast of the city of Deir al-Balah and just west of Maghazi refugee camp. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) 2017 census, there were 23,841 residents.

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The Khadija School airstrike by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) occurred on 26 July 2024 during the Israel–Hamas war in the central region of Gaza, specifically in Deir al-Balah. The airstrike killed at least 30 individuals, including seven minors. The Gaza Health Ministry run by Hamas reported an additional 100 casualties. The victims, who had sought shelter at the school, were transported to Shuhada al-Aqsa Hospital for medical attention.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Siddiqui, Usaid. "Israel-Palestine conflict | Live updates | Today's latest from Al Jazeera". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2024-08-17.
  2. "Israeli strike kills 15 of one family in Gaza". Gulf Times. 2024-08-17. Retrieved 2024-08-17.
  3. 1 2 3 "An Israeli airstrike kills 18 members of a family in Gaza as mediators hope for a cease-fire". AP News. 2024-08-17. Retrieved 2024-08-17.
  4. "316 Day of aggression: Large numbers of martyrs & injured by Zionist enemy's bombing various areas in Gaza Strip". www.saba.ye. 2024-08-17. Retrieved 2024-08-17.