What's happened
A recent Israeli airstrike near Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Gaza resulted in at least four deaths and numerous injuries, including children. Survivors described horrific scenes of flames and chaos as they sought refuge from earlier attacks. The strike is part of ongoing military actions amid escalating tensions with Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Why it matters
What the papers say
According to the New York Times, survivors described the aftermath of the strike as 'living inside a recurring nightmare,' highlighting the psychological toll on civilians. The Independent reported that the Israeli military justified the attack by alleging militants were hiding among civilians, yet evidence remains unverified. This discrepancy illustrates the conflicting narratives surrounding military actions in densely populated areas like Gaza.
How we got here
The conflict escalated after Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, prompting a year-long military response from Israel. The situation has led to widespread displacement and destruction in Gaza, with hospitals increasingly targeted amid claims of militant activity.
More on these topics
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Israel, formally known as the State of Israel, is a country in Western Asia, located on the southeastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea and the northern shore of the Red Sea.
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Hamas is a Palestinian Sunni-Islamic fundamentalist militant organization. It has a social service wing, Dawah, and a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades.
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Hezbollah is a Shia Islamist political party and militant group based in Lebanon. Hezbollah's paramilitary wing is the Jihad Council, and its political wing is the Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc party in the Lebanese parliament.
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The Gaza Strip, or simply Gaza, is a self-governing Palestinian territory on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, that borders Egypt on the southwest for 11 kilometers and Israel on the east and north along a 51 km border.