Palestinians mourn after identifying bodies of relatives killed in overnight Israeli bombardment on the southern Gaza Strip, at Al-Najjar hospital in Rafah, on February 10, 2024. (Photo by Said Khatib / AFP)
Doha, Qatar: Humanitarian chief at UN has highlighted the plight of Palestinians trapped in Rafah as Israel announced it plans to attack the area where over 1 million displaced people had taken refuge.
“Unthinkable suffering. They’ve been on the move for months, braving bombs, disease, and hunger. Where are they supposed to go? How are they supposed to stay safe?” said Martin Griffiths on X.
Meanwhile Nasser Hospital, in southern Khan Younis city, has been targeted by Israeli snipers who are shooting at every moving object killing the medical staff and the injured at hospital.
Al Jazeera reported that about 300 medical staff in the hospital are overwhelmed and exhausted, while 450 patients and wounded people are seeking medical attention inside. Furthermore, 10,000 evacuees – who cannot leave since the Israeli ground invasion started – are sheltering inside the facility it added.
Watch this space for more live updates:
[7pm Doha Time] Qatar strongly condemns Israeli threats to storm Rafah, warns of humanitarian catastrophe
The State of Qatar strongly condemned the Israeli threats to storm Rafah City in the southern Gaza Strip, warning of a humanitarian disaster in the city that became a last resort for hundreds of thousands of displaced people in the besieged strip. Read more
[4pm Doha Time] Death toll in Gaza Strip surpasses 28,000
Gaza’s Health Ministry says the number of Palestinians killed from the Israeli aggression since October 7 has risen to 28,064, with 67,611 others wounded.
“The Israeli occupation committed 16 massacres against families in the Gaza Strip, killing 117 and wounding 152 during the past 24 hours,” the ministry said.
Thousands more are missing and presumed dead, trapped under the rubble or their bodies strewn on streets.
[3:15pm Doha Time] Saudi warns of ' extremely dangerous repercussions' if Israel moves on Rafah
Saudi Arabia said on Saturday that Israel's planned army operation in overcrowded Rafah would cause a "humanitarian catastrophe" and called for the United Nations Security Council to intervene.
The kingdom "warned of the extremely dangerous repercussions of storming and targeting" Rafah and affirmed its "categorical rejection and strong condemnation of their forced deportation", in a foreign ministry statement carried by state media. Read more
[2pm Doha Time] Red Crescent medics found dead near body of 6-year-old Hind
Two medics dispatched to look for Hind Rajab, six, were killed by Israeli forces and their bodies had been recovered, the Palestine Red Crescent said.
Yusuf Zeino and Ahmed al-Madhoun were sent 12 days ago after Israeli tank fire targeted the car the little girl was in, killing all five of her family members. Hind was still alive and spoke to a PRCS phone operator, begging for someone to help her.
The medics’ ambulance was discovered bombed a few metres away from the car Hind travelled in Gaza City’s Tal al-Hawa neighbourhood.
⚠️ The occupation deliberately targeted the ambulance upon its arrival at the scene, where it was found just meters away from the vehicle containing the trapped child Hind.
— PRCS (@PalestineRCS) February 10, 2024
"Despite prior coordination to allow the ambulance to reach the location to rescue the child, Hind, the occupation deliberately targeted the Palestine Red Crescent ambulance crew," it stated on X.
[12pm Doha Time] Occupation forces arrest 14 Palestinians
Israeli forces arrested 14 Palestinians on Saturday and closed several roads in the town of Beit Ummar, north of Hebron in the occupied West Bank.
The Palestinian news agency WAFA reported that Israeli forces raided Beit Ummar, stormed several houses, ransacked their contents, and arrested 14 residents of the town, including two men in their fifties, while the ages of the others ranged between 23 and 35 years old.
Israeli forces also closed all entrances to the town with earthen barriers.
[11:30am Doha Time] Six-year-old Gaza girl found dead, family says, blaming Israel
A six-year-old Palestinian girl who went missing after the family's car came under fire in Gaza was found dead Saturday, the health ministry and her relatives said, accusing Israel of killing her.
The last time Hind Rajab had been seen was about two weeks ago when she was surrounded by dead relatives after becoming trapped in the vehicle as they tried to flee Gaza City as Israeli forces advanced.
"Hind and everyone else in the car is martyred," the girl's grandfather, Baha Hamada told AFP. Read more
[11am Doha Time] Palestinian martyred, 3 injured by Israeli sniper fire in Gaza's Nasser Medical Complex
A Palestinian were killed and three others were injured early Saturday as Israeli snipers opened fire on them in front of the reception gate at the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Yunis, south of the Gaza Strip, as part of the ongoing aggression on the Gaza Strip since October 7.
Israeli tanks also shelled the upper floors of the Nasser Medical Complex in western Khan Yunis, causing a state of panic and fear among the displaced.
Four Palestinian refugees were killed in the shelling inside the Nasser Medical Complex courtyard.
[10:30am Doha Time] Nasser Hospital Doctor says situation ‘very dangerous’ due to fighting
A surgeon at Nasser Hospital in Gaza’s Khan Younis has described the “very dangerous” situation at the medical complex, with staff unable to move between buildings due to fighting.
“We can’t move from one building to one building,” Ahmed Moghrabi, a plastic surgeon, said in a video posted to Instagram on Friday. “It’s very dangerous.”
Gunfire can be heard outside the hospital in the footage, while the area outside the facility appears deserted apart from uncollected rubbish and stray cats.
[10am Doha Time] Canada warns Israel of ‘devastating impact’ of planned offensive in Rafah
In a rare rebuke to Israel, Canada’s foreign minister has warned that its planned offensive in Rafah would be devastating for innocent people.
“We are deeply concerned by reports of an Israeli military operation in Rafah. It would have devastating impact, putting the lives of Palestinians and foreign nationals, including [Canadians], seeking refuge in grave danger and making the vital delivery of humanitarian aid dangerous,” Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said in a statement on X.
“We continue our call for the protection of civilians, for the release of hostages, for urgent efforts toward a sustainable ceasefire and for increased humanitarian aid.”
