Editorial Note: The following news reports are summaries from original sources. They may also include corrections of Arabic names and political terminology. Comments are in parentheses.

 

On Day 86 of the US-Backed Israeli Genocidal War on Gaza Strip, 150 Palestinians Killed, 286 Injured, with a Death Toll of  21,822 and 56,451 Injuries

December 31, 2023 

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Editor's Notes:  

Here are some initial (not final) statistics, which show the Israeli war crimes against humanity, during the current Israeli genocidal war on Gaza Strip:  

By December 31, 2023, the initial death toll of Palestinians who have been killed by the Israeli genocidal war on Gaza Strip is 28,822+.   

This includes the accounted for deaths (21,822) and those who are still missing under the rubble (Corrected on December 23, 2023: 7,000+).   

By December 31, 2023, the documented injuries exceeded 56,450, and more than 2,520 civilians have been abducted from Gaza Strip (80 mutilated corpses were returned on 12/27/23).

By December 30, 2023, there were 319 Palestinians who were killed, 3,531 who were injured, and 4,863, who were abducted by Israeli occupation forces in the West Bank, since October 7, 2023.

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By December 28, 2023, the death toll included 8,800+ children and 6,300+ women.   

By December 27 2023,  there was a complete destruction of 65,000+ housing units, and a partial destruction of 290,000+ housing units (60% of Gaza housing units). This forced about 1.5 million people to become homeless, taking refuge in crowded UN schools and ultimately sleeping in the streets.  

The Israeli refusal to allow international aid caravans to enter Gaza freely led the Palestinian population to be on the verge of mass extermination for the lack of food, water, medicine, and fuel.  

By December 28, 2023, 312 health personnel and 97 journalists were killed and hundreds were injured, 104 ambulances were destroyed while on duty, killing and injuring their crews, and destroyed 142 health institutions. As a result of the strikes and lack of fuel, 23 hospitals and 53 primary care centers are not functioning.  

Meanwhile, 126 government offices and 92 schools and universities were completely destroyed, while 285 schools and universities were partially damaged.

115 mosques were completely destroyed, while 200 others were partially damaged, in addition to three churches.

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Shaikh Yousuf Salama, former Palestinian Minister of Awqaf and preacher in Al-Aqsa Mosque, was killed by an Israeli genocidal air strike on Al-Maghazi refugee camp, December 31, 2023	A Palestinian woman grieving the death of her family members, who were killed by an Israeli genocidal air strike, on Gaza Strip, December 31, 2023
An Injured Palestinian father and his injured daughter survived one of the 12 massacres committed by Israeli genocidal air strikes, which killed 150 civilians and injured 286 in Gaza Strip, on December 31, 2023	A crying Palestinian girl holding an injured girl who survived an Israeli genocidal air strike on Gaza Strip, on December 31, 2023
Palestinian crews getting the dead and the survivors from under the rubble of houses destroyed by Israeli genocidal air strikes on a Khan Younus residential neighborhood, December 31, 2023	Injured and martyred (killed) Palestinians, who were victims of the Israeli genocidal air strikes on a Khan Younus residential neighborhood, December 31, 2023
Site of the destruction of infrastructure inflicted by an Israeli genocidal air strike on Al-Maghazi refugee camp, December 31, 2023	The funeral prayer performed on Shaikh Yousuf Salama, former Palestinian Minister of Awqaf and preacher in Al-Aqsa Mosque, who was killed by an Israeli genocidal air strike on Al-Maghazi refugee camp, December 31, 2023

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَـٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

"مِنْ أَجْلِ ذَٰلِكَ كَتَبْنَا عَلَىٰ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ أَنَّهُ مَنْ قَتَلَ نَفْسًا بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍ أَوْ فَسَادٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ فَكَأَنَّمَا قَتَلَ النَّاسَ جَمِيعًا"  (الْمَائِدَةُ ، 5: 32).

"وَمَنْ يَقْتُلْ مُؤْمِنًا مُّتَعَمِّدًا فَجَزَاؤُهُ جَهَنَّمُ خَالِدًا فِيهَا وَغَضِبَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَلَعَنَهُ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُ عَذَابًا عَظِيمًا" (النِّسَاءُ ، 4: 93).

"إِنْ أَحْسَنتُمْ أَحْسَنتُمْ لِأَنفُسِكُمْ ۖ وَإِنْ أَسَأْتُمْ فَلَهَا ۚ " (الإسْرَاءُ ، 17: 7). 

In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

"Because of that, We decreed upon the Children of Israel that whoever kills a soul, unless for a soul, or for corruption in the land, it is as if he had killed humankind entirely" (The Holy Quran, Al-Ma-ida, 5: 32).

"And whoever kills a believer intentionally, his recompense is Hell, wherein he will abide eternally, and Allah has become angry with him, and has cursed him, and has prepared for him a great torment" (Al-Nisa, 4: 93).

"If you do good, you do good for yourselves; and if you do evil, (you do it) to yourselves" (Al-Isra, 17: 7). 

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While brutal force has been used to create Zionist Israel and sustain it thus far, Zionist claims to Palestine are false. Actually, from the five thousand years of known written human history, there has been a continuous Palestinian-Canaanite presence in the Holy Land. Despite the Zionist false claims, the ancient Israelites ruled part of the land for only 85 years (during the reign of Prophets David and Solomon , peace be upon them, and Solomon's son).

 After that, the Egyptians conquered Palestine-Canaan in 925 BC, followed by Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, and Romans, before the Arab Muslim rule, starting from 636 AD.

By the Time Jesus, peace be upon him, started his mission, the three population groups of Canaanites, Palestinians, and Israelites were melted together in religion and language. Most of them became Christians when Constantine converted in 313 AD. Then, most of them became Muslims in the 7th and 8th centuries AD.

So, Palestinian Muslims, Christians, and Jews are the ones who have the right to claim descent from ancient Israelites, Palestinians, and Canaanites, not Zionists from other continents.

No matter what the Zionists and their supporters do, they cannot change the will of God, Who promised the Holy Land to Abraham and his descendants, basically the Palestinian Muslims and Christians.

No matter how much persecution and aggression the Zionists and their supporters inflict upon the Palestinian people, they will never be able to force them out of the Holy Land, which Allah, praise to Him, promised for them, and kept His promise ever since.

This is a necessary brief background to understand the US-Backed Zionist Israeli continuous wars against the Arab nation generally, and the Palestinian people in particular, which included the wars of 1948, 1956, 1967, 1978, 1982, the brutal crushing of the two Uprisings (1987-1993 and 2000-2004), 2009, 2012, 2014, 2021, and the current genocidal war on Gaza, which has culminated a blockade of Gaza since 2007. In addition, the Israeli occupation and apartheid regime launched so many covert operations, raids, and air strikes on many Arab states since 1948.

The following news stories are just examples, not a systematic record, of the Israeli occupation government abuse, mistreatment, and violations of Palestinian human rights, on daily basis.

More detailed news stories can be found at the following sources:

http://english.wafa.ps/, https://english.palinfo.com/, https://imemc.org/, https://paltoday.ps/ar/


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Editorial Notes about terms & names of people and places:

1. Names of people and places have been standardized to match standard Arabic grammatical rules.

2. Underlined letters and letters preceded by an apostrophe are references to Arabic letter sounds, which does not exist in the English alphabet.

3. The English letter i is equivalent to the Arabic short vowel known as kasra, as in Ibraheem and Qasim as well as in the English words sit and bit. So, it is incorrect to use it as a long vowel for such Arabic names as Jameel and Jibreel.

4. The English letter e is equivalent to the Arabi short vowel known as fat'ha, as in A'hmed and Mu'hammed.

5. It is more accurate to refer to the land-grabbing Israelis, who establish illegal settlements in the Palestinian territory of the West Bank, as illegal Israeli settlers, than referring to them as colonists.

The term colony is a reference to a large entity or a country, such as American states before independence. It was also a reference to Egypt, and India, when they were British colonies.

In addition, the term "colony" represents a positive nostalgic theme, in the minds of native speakers of English, particularly in America and Britain.

6. It is more accurate to use the verb "abduct" than the verb "detain," in reference to taking Palestinian citizens by force to prisons and interrogation centers, by Israeli occupation regime soldiers. This is because the presence of the Israeli occupation regime forces is illegal in the Palestinian territories, and they have no jurisdiction over the Palestinian people.

Click here for more about using the apostrophe and the underlining of letters in the transliteration of Arabic names.


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Rights organizations in U.S. launch National Week of Action against Israeli aggression

WASHINGTON, Sunday, December 31, 2023 (WAFA) —

Various Palestinian, Arab, and Islamic human rights organizations operating in the United States have announced their readiness for a week of action across several states under the banner of the National Week of Action, demanding an immediate halt to the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip.

These institutions are actively preparing to launch activities from the first day of the new year until the 7th of January next month, delivering a message to the U.S. administration about the urgent need for intervention to stop the war and prevent the further killing of innocent civilians.

Throughout the National Week of Action across the United States, these organizations will call for a free Palestine, an end of the Israeli genocide, a termination of U.S. aid to Israel, a lifting the blockade on Gaza, and an end to Israeli occupation and colonization of Palestinian and Arab lands.

In the meantime, weekly protests persist across the United States, demanding an immediate end to the war. The largest of these took place in Manhattan, New York, where thousands of Orthodox Jews demonstrated in solidarity with Palestine, calling for an end to the brutal genocide against the Palestinian people.

M.N.

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Wall Street Journal draws parallels between Gaza devastation and WWII Germany

RAMALLAH, Sunday, December 31, 2023 (WAFA) —

A recent report by The Wall Street Journal has likened the destruction resulting from the Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip to the wartime devastation witnessed in Germany during World War II (1939-1945).

The newspaper underscored the dire situation by pointing out that the majority of Gaza's 36 hospitals are now non-operational, with only eight healthcare facilities available to serve the population.

It further observed that Gaza's historical landmarks, including churches from the Byzantine era, mosques, factories, buildings, schools, hotels, shopping centers, as well as crucial utilities like electricity and water sources, have sustained irreversible damage.

Highlighting the human toll, the publication emphasized that nearly 85% of Gaza's population (2.3 million people) has been displaced from their homes, and over 21,000 individuals in the region have lost their lives as a result of the Israeli offensive.

Quoting Robert Pape, a political science professor at the University of Chicago and an expert on the history of aerial bombing, The Wall Street Journal reported his statement: "Gaza will enter history alongside cities like Dresden (Germany) and others that were bombed during World War II."

The report referenced a World Bank publication from December 12, revealing that 77% of healthcare facilities, 72% of public buildings, including parks, courts, and libraries, 68% of communication infrastructure, and almost the entire industrial zone in Gaza were destroyed due to the Israeli aggression.

The Wall Street Journal also drew attention to the fact that while the United States dropped 3,678 bombs on Iraq between 2004 and 2010, Israel released approximately 29,000 bombs on Gaza since October 7.

Caroline Sands, a conflict expert from Kingston University in London, commented on the potential timeframe for Gaza's reconstruction, stating that it could span decades in the best-case scenarios, according to the American newspaper.

M.N.

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Israeli soldiers brag about killing Palestinian babies and children

Saturday 30-December-2023, GAZA, (PIC)

Israeli occupation forces have been circulating provocative videos on social media showing soldiers openly confessing to targeting Palestinian children and bragging about killing Palestinian babies in the Gaza Strip.

In one particularly distressing recording, an Israeli soldier is seen admitting on camera his intention to harm an infant, ultimately resorting to killing a 12-year-old Palestinian girl when unable to locate one.

In the footage circulating on social media, the soldier is heard telling a comrade: “We are looking for babies, but there are no babies left.”

The unseen person off-camera requests clarification, prompting the soldier to respond: “Maybe I killed a girl who was 12 years old, but we are looking for the babies.”

Another video, met with stark condemnation, features a different soldier bragging about shooting two children playing football in the Gaza Strip.

The videos have sparked widespread condemnation, with some social media users calling for holding Israeli forces accountable for committing war crimes.

Israeli analysts admitted that their army kills randomly and targets children, while controversy continues in Israeli media regarding the goals of the war and the fate of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The debate raged on Israeli radio stations and TV channels about the war in the Gaza Strip. Gideon Levy from Haaretz newspaper acknowledged that the Israeli army is killing Palestinian children in Gaza, wondering, should children be killed?

Speaking to Israeli Channel 13, he said Israeli soldiers “kill randomly. What is happening in the Gaza Strip cannot be shown on this screen or on any other screen.” 

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Killing and Injuring of Palestinians in Ghazza (Gaza) by Israeli Occupation Regime Forces

‎On December 30, 2023, Dr. Ashraf Al-Qidra, the Spokesperson of the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza announced that the Israeli genocidal air strikes and bombardment on Gaza Strip resulted in the killing of 150 Palestinian civilians and injuring of 286, in the past 24 hours. This increased the death toll in Gaza Strip to 21,672 and the injuries to 56,165, since October 7, 2023.

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US-backed Israeli genocidal war on Gaza enters Day 86

Sunday 31-December-2023, GAZA, (PIC)

As the US-backed Israeli genocidal war on the Gaza Strip entered day 86 on Sunday, massive aerial and artillery strikes continued to pound and level whole blocks and homes and massacre more civilians, mostly children and women.

A reporter for the Palestinian Information Center (PIC) said that the Israeli occupation army continued to attack different areas of Gaza last night and on Sunday morning, targeting homes, civilian gatherings and shelter centers, and massacring dozens of citizens.

According to local sources, at least 10 displaced civilians were injured following an Israeli artillery attack on Khan Younus School in Khan Younus refugee camp.

Four other civilians were martyred when the Israeli army bombed a house belonging to the family of Abu Shi'hada in Al-Maghazi refugee camp in central Gaza.

An unknown number of casualties were also reported following Israeli attacks on the refugee camps of Al-Buraij, Nusayrat and al-Maghazi in central Gaza and other areas of Gaza City last night and today. 

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Over 130 Palestinians killed in a series of Israeli genocidal airstrikes on Gaza

GAZA, Sunday, December 31, 2023 (WAFA) —

In a devastating series of airstrikes, Israeli warplanes targeted various areas across the northern and central Gaza Strip this morning, resulting in the tragic murder of at least 130 Palestinian civilians, including children and women, and leaving dozens injured.

The deadly Israeli strikes mark the 86th day of the Israeli war of genocide on Gaza, where airstrikes and artillery shelling continue to wreak havoc on multiple regions, claiming more innocent lives and leaving a trail of massive destruction.

The strikes this morning focused on the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood in central Gaza City, claiming 48 lives and causing numerous injuries. Additionally, the vicinity of Al-Aqsa University in Gaza City witnessed airstrikes that resulted in the killing of at least 20 individuals.

Medical sources reported that, within the past 24 hours, 64 Palestinians were killed, with 186 others sustaining injuries, due to Israeli attacks targeting residential homes in the central region of Gaza. The sources further added that the occupying Israeli forces committed 12 massacres against civilian residences over the past 24 hours, leading to the tragic loss of 150 lives and injuring 286 individuals.

Israeli warplanes and artillery also targeted various locations in northern and central Gaza. Reports from local sources confirmed that the Israeli military carried out a fire-belt targeting agricultural land belonging to the Abu Muzayid family in the town of Al-Zawayida in central Gaza.

In the Al-Maghazi refugee camp, Israeli warplanes targeted the Grand Mosque, the surroundings of Abu Rakan Diwan family council, and multiple residences belonging to the families of Al-Shanti, Abdul Jawwad, Abu Batnin, Shukri, Taha, and El-'Arouqi.

Meantime, relentless airstrikes resulted in the tragic murder of paramedic Adham Al-Ghoul, who was targeted by Israeli occupation forces while carrying out his humanitarian duties in the Nusayrat refugee camp.

Furthermore, occupation forces launched stun grenades near the Khawla school, where thousands of displaced individuals sought refuge. Simultaneously, artillery bombardment targeted the home of the Abu Khusaywan family east of Dair El-Bala'h.

Meanwhile, six individuals were reported killed, and over 40 remain missing under the rubble of the Isleem family home which was destroyed by Israeli airstrikes in the Sabra neighborhood of Gaza City.

A Palestinian youth was also killed when Israeli naval vessels fired heavy machine guns at Palestinians on the beach in Rafa'h, south of the Strip.

In the town of Abasan Al-Kabeera, east of Khan Younus, four Palestinians were reported killed due to Israeli shelling over the past few hours.

Simultaneously, rescue teams managed to retrieve the bodies of eight martyrs from various areas in Khan Younus, according to local and medical sources.

In a preliminary toll, the ongoing Israeli offensive on Gaza, which began on October 7, has resulted in more than 21,822 deaths and approximately 56,451 injuries. Thousands are still missing, with 70% of the victims being children and women.

M.N.

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150 civilians martyred in new Israeli massacres in Gaza

Sunday 31-December-2023, GAZA, (PIC)

The Health Ministry in Gaza said on Sunday that the Israeli occupation army committed, over the past 24 hours, 12 massacres in the Gaza Strip, which resulted in the martyrdom of at least 150 civilians and the injury of 286 others.

In a brief statement, the health ministry said that the death toll from the ongoing Israeli bombardments, which started on October 7, climbed to 21,822 martyrs and the number of the wounded surged to 56,451 people.

In a related context, spokesman for the health ministry Ashraf al-Qidra said that the Israeli occupation army had killed in Gaza 312 health personnel, including doctors with rare medical specialties, and kidnaped 99 medical professionals, including directors of hospitals in northern Gaza.Al-

Spokesman Qidra also said that the Israeli army deliberately targeted 142 health facilities in Gaza, put 23 hospitals and medical centers out of service and destroyed 104 ambulances.

Al-Qidra accused the Israeli army of torturing the Palestinian detainees its forces kidnaped from Gaza, especially doctors and medical workers, depriving them of food, water and sleep, interrogating them and exposing them to extreme cold conditions, pointing out that he obtained testimonies in this regard from citizens who were released recently from detention camps.

He called on international organizations and the Red Cross to visit the detainees who were kidnaped from Gaza and pressure for their release.

He also pointed out that there are 50,000 Gazan women suffering from malnutrition and health complications, especially those with high-risk pregnancies, in shelter centers due to the absence of drinking water, hygiene, food and medical care. 

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Day 86 of the Israeli genocidal war on Gaza: Dozens of civilian casualties, predominantly children and women

GAZA, Sunday, December 31, 2023 (WAFA) —

Dozens of innocent civilians, predominantly children and women, were killed and others injured during the early morning hours today amid a nonstop barrage of Israeli airstrikes and artillery shelling across the Gaza Strip, marking 86 consecutive days of US-backed genocide in the besieged region.

Over the last few hours, Israeli bombardments targeted three mosques, namely the Al-Muhajireen Mosque and Al-Sahaba Mosque in Al-Maghazi camp, and the Al-Furqan Mosque in the city of Dair El-Bala'h, both located in central Gaza.

Tragically, casualties were reported as Israeli occupation forces bombed the residences of the Qandeel and Abu Shahada families in the Al-Maghazi refugee camp. Other Israeli airstrikes also hit the premises of the Al-Salah Association in the camp.

East of Khan Younus in southern Gaza, an Israeli helicopter opened fire indiscriminately at residential neighborhoods, while artillery shelling renewed in the eastern areas of Buraij and Nusayrat refugee camps in central Gaza.

In the Nusayrat camp, a number of civilian casualties, both fatalities and wounded, were transported to Al-'Awda Hospital due to the nonstop Israeli airstrikes. Meantime, a drone strike targeted the home of the Tahrawi family west of Rafa'h in southern Gaza Strip.

Simultaneously, an Israeli airstrike targeted homes east of Dair El-Bala'h, causing casualties among civilians.

The Israeli artillery continued to shell the Buraij, Nusayrat, and Al-Maghazi refugee camps in central Gaza, resulting in more civilian casualties and destruction to public and private properties and infrastructure.

Earlier yesterday evening, more than 25 civilians were reported killed and others injured in a barrage of Israeli airstrikes and artillery shelling targeting the Nuseirat and Al-Maghazi refugee camps, as well as the town of Al-Zawayida, in central Gaza, in addition to the city of Rafa'h in the south.

In a preliminary toll, the ongoing Israeli onslaught on Gaza since October 7 has claimed the lives of at least 21,822 Palestinians—predominantly civilians—and resulted in approximately 56,450 injuries. Thousands remain missing, with 70% of the victims being children and women.  

M.N. 

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Over 25 Palestinians killed in Israeli airstrikes, artillery shelling in central Gaza

GAZA, Sunday, December 31, 2023 (WAFA) —

More than 25 civilians were killed and dozens were injured on Saturday evening through last night as Israeli occupation forces launched airstrikes and artillery attacks on residential areas in the Nusayrat and Al-Maghazi refugee camps, as well as the Al-Zawayida region in central Gaza and Rafah in the south.

Medical sources reported a minimum of three fatalities and numerous injuries, predominantly women and children, after an Israeli warplane targeted the home of the Salim family in the Al-Sawari'ha area of the Nusayrat refugee camp in central Gaza. Several individuals from the Hamada family were also injured following an Israeli airstrike west of the camp.

In the Al-Maghazi camp, five individuals were killed, with several others injured, after Israeli warplanes targeted a residence belonging to the Shi'hada family in central Gaza. Additionally, at least one person was killed, and others were injured and subsequently transported to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital following  an Israeli airstrike targeting a house in the camp.

At least 12 individuals were also killed and a number of others, mostly children, injured in central Gaza following an Israeli airstrike on a house belonging to the Abu Jumu'a family in the Al-Zawaiyda town.

In Rafa'h, in the south of the Gaza Strip, a Palestinian identified as 'Eid Rafeeq Abu Rashid was killed in an Israeli airstrike in the Al-Salam neighborhood, and several casualties were reported due to Israeli artillery shelling east of the city.

Simultaneously, an Israeli drone targeted the rooftop of a residence in the Tel Al-Sultan neighborhood in Rafa'h. Meantime, an Israeli airstrike hit the home of the Abu Jamous family west of the city.

The southern areas of Khan Younus also came under attack by Israeli airstrikes during the night.

In a preliminary toll, the ongoing Israeli offensive on Gaza, which began on October 7, has resulted in more than 21,822 martyrs and approximately 56,450 injuries. Thousands are still missing, with 70% of the victims being children and women.

M.N.

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21,672 Palestinians killed and 56,165 injured in the Israeli aggression on Gaza

Sunday 31-December-2023, GAZA, (PIC)

The Palestinians Ministry of Health said on Saturday that the Israeli occupation forces committed 14 massacres against entire families, resulting in the death of 165 martyrs and 250 injuries in the past 24 hours.

The spokesperson for the Ministry of Health, Ashraf al-Qudra, confirmed that the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, on its 85th day, has resulted in a total of 21,672 martyrs and 56,165 injured since October 7th, with 70% of the victims being women and children.

Al-Qidra mentioned that Israeli violations against the health system have led to the martyrdom of 312 health personnel, including rare specialized staff, and that Israel continues to detain 99 health workers, including hospital directors in northern Gaza.

Al-Qidra affirmed that the Israeli occupation army deliberately targeted 142 health facilities, including 23 hospitals and 53 health centers, rendering them out of service, in addition to the destruction of 104 ambulances.

He also referred to the testimonies of citizens who were recently released from detention, confirming that the detainees, especially medical teams, were subjected to severe physical and psychological torture, hunger, thirst, sleep deprivation, and continuous interrogation in extremely cold conditions.

The international institutions, led by the International Committee of the Red Cross, have called for visiting and inspecting the detainees, especially medical and humanitarian personnel, and for international mobilization to release them in accordance with international humanitarian law and the Fourth Geneva Convention.

The Ministry of Health revealed that its teams have succeeded in reopening Al-Ahli Al-Araby Hospital, Friends of the Patient Hospital, Al-Sahaba Hospital, Al-Hilal International Hospital, Al-'Awda Hospital, and several primary care centers, despite the significant risks surrounding the movement and work of medical teams due to the continuous bombardment of residential areas and the vicinity of health institutions.

Al-Qidra pointed to the intensive efforts made by the Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the World Health Organization and international partners, to implement effective and urgent interventions to ensure the reoperation of Al-Shifa Medical Complex and hospitals in northern Gaza.

He called for taking effective and urgent steps to ensure the protection of all hospitals and their staff, as well as securing access routes to them, especially the hospitals in northern Gaza, where there is a need for medical services for 800,000 people.

Al-Qudra commended the role of international medical teams that have managed to reach the Gaza Strip to support medical staff in hospitals.

He called on all countries and international institutions to send medical teams, necessary medical supplies, and field hospitals to save thousands of wounded individuals.

Al-Qidra warned of the risks of famine and drought affecting over 1.9 million displaced and homeless people who lack proper shelter, water, food, medicine, and security.

He highlighted the plight of 50,000 pregnant women suffering from malnutrition and health complications, especially those at high risk, in shelters due to the lack of drinking water, hygiene, food, and healthcare.

Al-Qudra also noted that more than 900,000 children in shelters are exposed to severe cold, drought, malnutrition, respiratory and skin diseases, and the unavailability of vaccinations for newborns.

He added, “Children and women are experiencing multiple psychological disorders as a result of intense bombardment, destruction, and the loss of their families and homes.”

Al-Qidra emphasized that medical aid is limited, restricted, and inadequate to meet the needs of hospitals, calling on all parties to establish effective mechanisms to ensure the flow of medical assistance according to the declared and sent needs of the Ministry of Health to all parties in order to save thousands of wounded and sick individuals.

He explained that the current mechanism for the departure of the wounded and patients does not respond to the large and increasing numbers of them, and it contributes to the daily killing of more wounded individuals, stressing the need to reconsider it as it has only allowed the departure of 1% of the wounded so far.

He added, “We urgently need to evacuate more than 5,300 seriously injured and complex cases as a priority for treatment abroad to save their lives.”

He said that the Ministry of Health discussed on Saturday morning with the World Health Organization the establishment of effective mechanisms with all parties to facilitate the exit of the wounded and patients for treatment abroad.

He also mentioned that the Ministry, in cooperation with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency and the World Health Organization, has formed a tripartite committee to discuss a plan to activate and reopen health centers to meet the needs of the displaced in displacement areas.

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Former Minister of Awqaf killed in an Israeli strike on Al-Maghazi

GAZA, Sunday, December 31, 2023 (WAFA) —  

Former Minister of Awqaf and Religious Affairs and the preacher of Al-Aqsa Mosque, Al-Shaikh Yousuf Salama, was killed this morning in an Israeli airstrike on his home in the Al-Maghazi refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip.

WAFA correspondent reported that Israeli warplanes targeted the home of Shaikh Salama, leading to his murder and the injury of several members of his family.

In a preliminary toll, the ongoing Israeli offensive on Gaza, which began on October 7, has resulted in more than 21,822 deaths and approximately 56,450 injuries. Thousands are still missing, with 70% of the victims being children and women.

M.N. 

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Killing and Injuring of Palestinians in the West Bank by Israeli Occupation Regime Forces

Three Palestinians injured by Israeli gunfire east of Nablus

NABLUS, Sunday, December 31, 2023 (WAFA) —

Three individuals were wounded by live ammunition this morning during confrontations with Israeli occupation forces in the 'Askar Al-Qadim refugee camp, east of the city of Nablus in the occupied West Bank, according to Palestinian security and local sources. 

The sources reported to WAFA that a undercover Israeli military unit had sneaked into 'Askar Al-Qadim camp in the morning, followed by multiple Israeli military vehicles raiding the camp from multiple directions.

During the raid, the occupation forces deployed snipers on the rooftops of homes in the camp. Confrontations ensued in the area, leading to the injury of three Palestinians by live Israeli ammunition. One was injured in the head, another in the thigh, and the third in the hand, as reported by the Palestinian Red Crescent.

During the incursion into the camp, the occupation forces arrested Abdul Razzaq Al-Shaikh, a local resident.

M.N.

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Israeli drone strikes injure four Palestinians amid a military raid into Tulkarm

TULKARM, Sunday, December 31, 2023 (WAFA) —

At least four Palestinians were injured over the last few hours as Israeli drones targeted multiple locations in the Nour Shams and Tulkarm refugee camps in the north of the occupied West Bank, amid an ongoing Israeli military raid into the camps and the nearby city of Tulkarm, according to medical sources.

Israeli occupation forces targeted the Tulkarm refugee camp twice with missile strikes from a drone, witnesses said. The first strike hit the Al-Madaris neighborhood, resulting in no injuries. Shortly after, another strike targeted the Ghanim neighborhood, causing two injuries.

The injured were promptly transported to the Thabit Thabit Governmental Hospital for medical treatment. Medical sources at the hospital reported that two individuals were admitted with injuries from missile shrapnel. One of the victims is in serious condition with injuries to the abdomen, while the other has minor injuries to the foot.

Earlier in the night, the Palestinian Red Crescent reported that at least two Palestinians sustained injuries from the shrapnel of Israeli drone missiles in Nour Shams. It said that due to the blockade imposed by Israeli forces on the camp, its medical crews were unable to transport the injured to hospitals on time.

The Israeli drones further struck locations in Al-Damaj neighborhood of the camp and near the entrance of Al-Manshiya neighborhood. Simultaneously, widespread arrests were carried out as Israeli occupation forces raided several homes across the camp. Detainees were held in one of the houses, and were subjected to field interrogations with their hands cuffed.

At the same time, Israeli military vehicles deployed at the main entrance of the Tulkarm refugee camp, firing live rounds and flares over the camp.  

The forces intensified their presence by deploying snipers on the rooftops of buildings and residences around the camp. The invading forces also vandalized doors, contents of homes, detained residents, and subjected them to questioning, according to local sources.

As a result of the Israeli incursion, confrontations erupted in the Nour Shams camp, while sounds of explosions were heard in the area. Surveillance drones also hovered over the skies of Tulkarm and its outskirts during the raid.

Later during the raid, which lasted for several hours, the Israeli occupation forces demolished a portion of the house belonging to a local Palestinian resident in the camp. The destruction extended to the streets, infrastructure, and public and private properties of the residents, particularly in the Al-Ma'hjar and Al-Manshiya neighborhoods.

The Israeli occupation forces further obstructed the movement of ambulance vehicles at the entrance of the Thabit Governmental Hospital in the western area of the neighboring Tulkarm city, preventing them from moving, coinciding with the blockade on the hospital and the Al-Isra Specialized Hospital in the city.  

M.N.

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Palestinians injured, kidnaped by IOF in the West Bank

Sunday 31-December-2023, WEST BANK, (PIC)

A number of Palestinian citizens were injured and others were kidnaped last night and at dawn Sunday after the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) stormed different areas of the West Bank.

According to local sources, two citizens suffered shrapnel injuries after Israeli drones fired missiles at different places in Nour Shams refugee camp in Tulkarm.

The IOF also kidnaped dozens of citizens during dawn raids in Nour Shams camp after herding them into a house and interrogating them.

Similar raids took place in Shuwaika suburb of Tulkarm, where resistance fighters reportedly opened fire at IOF vehicles and detonated explosive devices at them.

Local sources also said that the IOF imposed a tight siege on the camp, spread through its streets, deployed snipers on rooftops of tall buildings, and broke into and ransacked homes, amid drone over flights.

They added that the IOF bulldozed roads and public and private property and demolished parts of a house belonging to Nabil 'Imara in Al-Damj neighborhood in the camp.

Meanwhile, Israeli occupation soldiers besieged Thabit Thabit Hospital and Isra Hospital in Tulkarm, deployed snipers around them and obstructed the movement of ambulances at their entrances.

Three other citizens were reportedly abducted during IOF raids on homes in Shuwaika suburb of Tulkarm and Far’oan town, south of the city.

In Al-Khaleel, Israeli occupation forces pillaged several homes in Al-Fawwar refugee camp and spread on rooftops of tall buildings, while some drones were seen overflying the camp during the raid.

On Saturday evening, one young man was wounded by a rubber bullet in his head in Bait 'Awwa town in al-Khalil after Israeli occupation forces stormed it, which provoked clashes with local youths.

Local sources said that the clashes started after the IOF raided a house belonging to the family of martyr Mu'hammed Masalma, who was shot dead after he carried out a car-ramming operation near Al-Fawwar refugee camp earlier on the same day.

The sources added that the IOF kidnaped three of the martyr’s brothers and one of his cousins after ransacking their homes in the town.

In Nablus, a large number of Israeli troops stormed Yatma town, raided homes and clashed with local youths.

In Al-Quds (east Jerusalem), Israeli police forces stormed on Saturday several Palestinian homes in Batn Al-Hawa neighborhood in Silwan district, assaulted their residents and attacked some of them with pepper spray.

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Israeli occupation forces detain two Palestinian children near Salfeet

SALFIT, Sunday, December 31, 2023 (WAFA) — 

Israeli occupation forces Sunday evening detained two children from the town of Dair Istiya, northwest of Salfeet.

Local sources said that the occupation forces detained Nasr Jihad Mansour, 17, and Mu'hammad Rizq Mansour, 16, while they were in Wadi Qana, north of the town.

K.T.

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