Doctor Among Two Killed as Gaza Conflict Continues Amid West Bank Violence
Israeli strikes claim a doctor's life in Gaza, while settlers attack Palestinian property in the occupied West Bank, underscoring ongoing escalation during Eid al-Adha.
Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank witnessed continued violence on Saturday, the fourth day of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha. Two Palestinians were killed in Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip, including Dr. Jamal Abu Aoun, head of anaesthesia at Al-Yafa Medical Hospital. His death occurred during an Israeli drone strike near Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza, where a medical source reported that Abu Aoun's body and three injured individuals, including a child, arrived following the strike.
Earlier in the day, Israeli artillery shelling targeted areas east and south of Khan Younis in southern Gaza, as well as the al-Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza. Later, another Palestinian was killed and several others wounded by an Israeli drone strike near Firas Market, a busy commercial area in Gaza City.
The airstrikes come amidst reports of Israeli forces demolishing homes east of Beit Lahiya in northern Gaza, contributing to the extensive destruction across the besieged enclave. Gaza's Media Office claims that since an October ceasefire, at least 922 Palestinians have been killed and 2,786 injured in Israeli attacks. Broader Israeli military operations, which began in October 2023, have resulted in approximately 72,000 Palestinian deaths and over 172,000 injuries, according to Palestinian figures.
Disturbing accounts from Israeli soldiers serving in Gaza between October and January have surfaced, detailing a pervasive atmosphere of dehumanization and permissive rules of engagement. In testimonies to The Associated Press, reservists described routine killings of Palestinians who approached or crossed poorly marked boundaries, with one soldier recounting celebratory reactions to successful strikes. Another reservist noted a prevailing sentiment among commanders that territorial control was paramount, even at the expense of human lives, expressing a general feeling that "human lives are not valuable."
Simultaneously, the occupied West Bank experienced a surge in settler-led violence. In Beita, south of Nablus, Israeli settlers reportedly attacked Palestinian homes and vehicles with stones. Palestinian news agency Wafa also reported Israeli forces firing light bombs over the town. Further south, in Khirbet el-Muraq, Masafer Yatta, settlers damaged agricultural land and numerous trees, according to local activist Osama Makhamra.
A report by the Palestinian Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission indicates that Israeli settlers carried out at least 540 attacks in April against Palestinians and their property across the occupied West Bank, including Jerusalem. These incidents encompassed physical violence, property destruction, and the prevention of farmers from accessing their land. Since October 2023, Israeli forces and settlers have been implicated in the deaths of 1,168 Palestinians and the injury of 12,666 in the West Bank, with approximately 33,000 displaced and nearly 23,000 detained.