Residents survey the aftermath of an Israeli airstrike on a post office in Nuseirat, central Gaza Strip, which had been serving as a shelter, on December 12, 2024. Reuters
An airstrike carried out by Israeli forces on Thursday in the central Gaza Strip claimed the lives of at least 30 Palestinians and injured 50 more. The strike targeted a post office in the Nuseirat refugee camp, where displaced families had taken refuge amidst the ongoing 14-month-long conflict. Several nearby homes were also severely damaged, adding to the devastation in the densely populated enclave.
Nuseirat, one of Gaza’s original eight refugee camps, was established for Palestinians displaced during the 1948 war. Over the years, it has transformed into a bustling urban area, now overcrowded with displaced individuals from across Gaza. Medics confirmed the tragic toll from the airstrike, which compounded the day’s death toll in Gaza to 66 people. The Israeli military has yet to provide a comment on the incident.
On December 12, 2024, individuals rushed to carry an injured person after an Israeli airstrike hit a post office in Nuseirat, central Gaza Strip, where many had sought shelter. Reuters
Earlier that day, two additional airstrikes in southern Gaza killed 13 Palestinians. According to medics and the governing Hamas faction, these individuals were part of a force tasked with safeguarding humanitarian aid deliveries. However, the Israeli military claimed the strikes targeted Hamas militants allegedly planning to hijack the aid shipments. In a statement, Israel accused Hamas of diverting resources for "terrorist activities," asserting that the operation aimed to ensure aid reached civilians in need.
Grieving families and mourners gathered at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir Al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, on December 12, 2024, to pay their respects to Palestinians killed in an Israeli airstrike during the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. Reuters
Hamas and its forces have faced ongoing challenges from armed gangs in the region. In recent months, Hamas claims to have neutralized over two dozen gang members responsible for seizing aid trucks. Since the war’s onset in October 2023, Hamas reported that Israeli airstrikes have killed at least 700 of its police officers tasked with protecting humanitarian convoys. It accused Israel of deliberately fostering chaos to disrupt the distribution of aid.
A drone captures smoke rising above Beit Hanoun in Gaza during the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, as seen from near Kibbutz Nir Am in southern Israel, on December 12, 2024. Reuters
Meanwhile, residents in central Gaza experienced fresh waves of displacement as the Israeli military ordered evacuations in response to rocket launches from urban areas. Families fled their homes, seeking refuge in safer parts of Gaza City. Airstrikes also targeted a residential building on al-Jalaa Street and a home west of Nuseirat, claiming 22 more lives, according to medics. In the Jabalia refugee camp, Israeli forces reportedly shot and killed an orthopedic doctor, Saeed Judeh, while he was en route to treat patients at Al-Awda Hospital.
Palestinians survey the destruction at a house in the Nuseirat refugee camp, central Gaza Strip, following an Israeli airstrike amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict on December 12, 2024. Reuters
Efforts to broker a ceasefire, spearheaded by Arab mediators and supported by the United States, have yet to yield any progress. The ongoing conflict, which began when Hamas militants launched a deadly attack on Israeli communities in October 2023, has left a trail of destruction and suffering. Israeli figures indicate that 1,200 people were killed, and approximately 250 individuals were taken hostage in the initial assault. Since then, Gaza has endured relentless airstrikes that have killed over 44,800 people and displaced nearly the entire population of 2.3 million, leading to severe food shortages and outbreaks of disease.
