13 November 2018
Update [12pm, Wednesday 14 November]: Since this article was published a ceasefire has been agreed. Our team in Gaza reports that it is holding.
Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) is gravely concerned by the dangerous escalation in Gaza this week and is monitoring the situation closely.
According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, six Palestinians were killed on Monday night and at least 20 others injured from Israeli airstrikes on Gaza. On Tuesday afternoon another Palestinian was killed and at least three others were injured from Israeli airstrikes.
A Palestinian resident of Halhoul in the occupied West Bank, working inside Israel, was also killed and 70 Israelis injured by rockets fired from Gaza.
“It has been another day and night very similar to those of the 2014 attacks on Gaza. The airstrikes continued from 4.30pm Monday afternoon till Tuesday morning. A number of buildings in residential areas were targeted at very short notice.” Fikr Shalltoot, MAP’s Director of Programmes in Gaza
It is reported that Israeli forces targeted and demolished three residential buildings in Gaza, home to three Palestinian families, and five commercial buildings, including Al Amal hotel in Gaza City, 100m from MAP’s office.
Dr. Adnan Al Wahaidi, the Director of Ard El Insan, a local NGO MAP partners with in Gaza to challenge child malnutrition, lost his home in one of the destroyed residential buildings.
In interviews with Al Wattan and Al Jazeera, Dr. Adnan indicated that the building was residential, inhabited by families of doctors, lawyers, and university teachers.
Fikr Shalltoot said Tuesday afternoon that the situation was still very tense though the airstrikes were less intensive than during the night.
The Ministry of Health declared a state of emergency in Gaza.
MAP is in close contact with partners on the ground and is ready to respond should the situation escalate further.
MAP hopes for a swift de-escalation and return to calm.
