Israel carried out airstrikes in northern Gaza on Wednesday as the besieged enclave continues to endure what rights groups have described as the "utterly preventable" effects of stormy winter conditions, compounded by Israel’s war and blockade.
The strikes hit sites east of Gaza City, according to The New Arab's Arabic edition, including the Zeitoun neighbourhood and an area near the Shujaiyah junction. Israeli forces also reportedly shelled eastern Gaza and Khan Younis with artillery fire.
The attacks come as Israel continues to violate the ceasefire, even as the United States convened a 32-nation conference in Doha on a proposed "stabilisation force" for Gaza. Reports indicated the meeting ended without agreement.
Washington has been seeking to assemble a multinational force of up to 10,000 troops to deploy in Gaza under the ceasefire framework, ostensibly to provide security, while also raising concerns that the force could be used to disarm Hamas.
According to a European official cited by The Times of Israel, the US outlined its proposal and asked participating countries whether they would contribute troops, but there was "no clear answer" regarding the force's mandate or its role on the ground.
Israeli media reported that several countries expected to be involved did not attend the conference. The Jerusalem Post said Turkey was excluded following Israeli objections to its participation, while Haaretz reported that Azerbaijan was also absent.
Gaza floods a preventable tragedy
Gaza continues to suffer the consequences of Storm Byron and harsh winter conditions, which have sharply worsened the humanitarian catastrophe created by Israel’s war and long-standing restrictions on aid.
Two homes severely damaged by Israeli bombardment collapsed, with six people pulled from the rubble of one house in the Shati refugee camp.
Amid repeated UN warnings that winter conditions were placing newborns at risk, Gaza’s health authorities said a two-week-old baby died on Tuesday after being treated for hypothermia.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said at least 40 designated emergency shelters were affected by severe flooding across the enclave, while more than 700 tents were damaged or inundated.
Amnesty International's senior director for research, advocacy, policy and campaigns, Erika Guevara Rosas, said the suffering inflicted on Gaza "was no accident, but an utterly preventable tragedy".
She said the flooding was not simply the result of extreme weather, but a consequence of Israel’s continued blockade and its refusal to allow the entry of materials needed to repair basic, life-sustaining infrastructure.
"The knowledge that the extent of this disaster could have been prevented had Israeli authorities allowed the entry of shelter and other essential materials is deeply distressing," she said.
Save the Children said it remains unable to bring its own humanitarian supplies into Gaza due to Israeli restrictions, adding that the limited UN aid allowed into the enclave falls far short of meeting the needs of the population.