Israeli forces launched an attack on Gaza’s Jabalia refugee camp, leaving thousands of people trapped, according to Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) on Friday. At least 13 Palestinians were killed in a home in Jabalia, marking the latest casualties in Israel’s ongoing efforts to target Hamas. The Israeli military had initiated a broader offensive in the area a week earlier, aiming to disrupt Hamas from regrouping.
Widespread Casualties Across Gaza
Friday’s airstrikes resulted in the deaths of at least 54 people throughout the Gaza Strip, medical sources reported. Nearly half of these fatalities, including the 13 in Jabalia, occurred in the northern district, which is home to Gaza’s largest historic refugee camp. While the Israeli military claimed that its strikes had eliminated dozens of Hamas militants in Jabalia, it remains unclear how many of the dead were civilians.
Thousands Trapped, Aid Workers in Danger
MSF project coordinator Sarah Vuylsteke confirmed via social media that movement in and out of Jabalia has been impossible due to the military blockade. “Nobody is allowed to get in or out; anyone who tries is getting shot,” Vuylsteke stated. Five MSF staff members, including a driver named Haydar, are currently trapped in the camp. “I don’t know what to do; at any moment we could die,” Haydar said, describing the desperate conditions of people facing starvation and the fear of staying or attempting to escape.
Strikes on Shelters and Schools
Israeli strikes targeted various parts of Jabalia, including a school that was sheltering displaced individuals, resulting in 15 additional deaths since dawn, according to medical sources cited by the Palestinian news agency Wafa. Gaza’s Civil Defence also reported that numerous people were wounded by Israeli drone attacks on the same school.
The Israeli military has not issued an immediate comment on the attack, though in previous instances, it has accused Gaza militants of using civilian shelters as cover. Hamas denies these claims, maintaining that it continues to fight Israeli forces in the area, including in the nearby towns of Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahiya.
