Children Face Deadly Strikes in Jabalia
Over 50 children died in Jabalia, northern Gaza, within 48 hours as violence surged, reports UNICEF. According to UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell, airstrikes hit two residential buildings housing hundreds of civilians. This marked one of the deadliest weekends in the region.
An Israeli drone strike reportedly hit a clinic where children were receiving polio vaccinations, injuring six people, including four children. The Israeli military denied involvement in the attack, which took place Saturday in northern Gaza, an area under siege for the past year.
Healthcare Under Attack Amid Conflict
Israeli military forces intensified their offensive in northern Gaza, causing increased casualties and displacement. Health officials claim Israeli forces raided hospitals, alleging Hamas uses these facilities for militant purposes—a claim Palestinian health officials deny.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF condemned the clinic strike, warning that such attacks endanger essential health protections for children. UNICEF spokesperson Rosalia Bollen emphasized the Sheikh Radwan Clinic’s role as a key vaccination site.
On Sunday, an Israeli airstrike in southern Gaza’s Khan Younis targeted a gathering of civilians. Gaza Health Ministry officials reported at least eight fatalities, including four children and one woman.
The polio vaccination campaign, delayed since October 23 due to evacuation orders and access issues, resumed in northern Gaza. The campaign’s first dose was administered in September, but about 15,000 children under 10 in northern towns like Jabalia, Beit Lahiya, and Beit Hanoun remain unreachable.
Regional Escalation Expands Beyond Gaza
Beyond Gaza, Israeli forces launched operations in southern Lebanon, targeting Hezbollah positions after ongoing cross-border fire. The Israeli military also conducted a ground raid in Syria, marking the first such operation since the war began. The target was a Syrian citizen allegedly linked to Iranian networks.