Pope Francis deplores end of Israeli-Hamas truce, calls for new ceasefire

DNA

GAZA CITY: At least 700 Palestinians, most of them women and children, have been killed in the latest round of Israeli attacks on the besieged Gaza Strip over the past 24 hours.

The relentless Israeli bombardment has destroyed numerous homes, buildings, residential apartments, and both public and private properties.

The Israeli military bombarded the Jabaliya refugee camp in northern Gaza with missile shells, killing over 100 Palestinians.

The Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza announced on Sunday that at least 400 people were killed in attacks on Shujaiya neighborhood and Jabaliya refugee camp.

Several civilians were killed and others injured when an Israeli airstrike targeted a residential building in the al-Daraj neighborhood in Gaza City.

Many people also lost their lives when a house was targeted by Israeli warplanes in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza

Israel has also been continuing its attacks on the eastern areas of Khan Yunis in southern Gaza.

The latest Israeli attacks targeted a house in the al-Junainah area in Rafah, in southern Gaza, leaving several dead.

The Israeli military further bombed a house in the Nadim area of the Al-Zeitoun neighborhood, east of Gaza City. Airstrikes were also reported in the vicinity of the Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza.

Many civilians are reportedly trapped under the rubble.

Continuous explosions are also heard in northern areas of Gaza as well.

The death toll in the besieged territory since October 7 is now around 16,000. Most of the victims are women and children.

The Gaza Health Ministry says Israeli forces have deliberately targeted 130 health facilities and put 20 hospitals out of service.

As the total siege imposed by Israel on the already blockaded territory continues, food is running out, and bread is becoming more difficult to get with each passing day.

Since October 7, bakeries across the Gaza Strip have been one of the targets of Israeli attacks. Dozens of bakeries have been either bombed or have gone out of service due to lack of fuel. 

A senior member of the Palestinian Hamas resistance movement has held the Tel Aviv regime fully responsible for the failure to extend the week-old truce which collapsed on Friday.  

“Claims that Hamas violated the terms of the truce deal are intended to justify the resumption of the genocidal war against civilians in the Gaza Strip,” Ezzat al-Resheq, a member of Hamas’s political bureau, said on Saturday.

The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Karim Khan, has revealed an ongoing investigation into the violence being practiced by colonial Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.

In an interview with a Palestinian TV channel, Khan expressed his concern over the violence committed by Israeli settlers, stating, “I am concerned about the violence of the settlers who kill innocent Palestinians. This is something I am looking into, and Israel, the occupying power, should hold these settlers accountable.”

He added, “My message regarding settler attacks on Palestinians is very clear: we are investigating and making progress. Every actor in this field must adhere to the law, and if they do not, they should not complain in the future because we will prosecute them professionally.”

Addressing the timeframe for the investigation, the Prosecutor stated, “We must expedite the investigation. I understand the disappointment of the people, but I must substantiate these matters with evidence, and I will expedite the process. However, it is not a forgotten case; it is the most important case in my office, and it holds significance alongside other cases.”

Khan pointed out that Israel prevented his entry into the Gaza Strip last October 30th. He stated, “The good news is that I am the first Prosecutor to successfully enter Palestine in 20 years, and I believe this is a very important moment that we must seize.”

Emphasizing the urgency of humanitarian aid, Khan stated, “I was very cautious when I was at the Rafah crossing. I clearly stated that humanitarian aid must enter, and I said this clearly and in front of everyone because not allowing it is a crime.”

Regarding the delay in the ICC opening a criminal investigation in the occupied Palestinian territories, Khan stated that he will accelerate the investigation, gather evidence, listen to victims, and then return to The Hague and other areas to continue the investigations.

Commenting on the rising toll of Palestinian children in Gaza, Khan said, “Children in Palestine are important to their families, as in the rest of the world. Every life is important, and as I said in Cairo, all children are important, Palestinian children and children around the world. We must provide justice for them, and I will make every effort to do so.”

He added, “My work is to investigate independently and properly for every innocent life lost. Unfortunately, many of them are children—injured innocents, amputees. Anyone with ethics must act when they see these scenes. Every person’s life matters, and citizens must be protected and not killed during these events. As the Prosecutor of this court, I am clear that Israel must adhere to the law, and if they do not, they should not complain in the future. Justice is our right….”

Expressing hope to meet Gaza children face-to-face in the next visit to Palestine, Khan said, “We expedite matters, and I will also meet some victims in New York through Palestinian institutions. The goal is how we can use this disappointment positively to achieve justice. It is my responsibility to do anything to achieve justice, and I say to the world that we have judges and investigators, and I must do my job professionally; otherwise, we will have another disappointment.”

Regarding alternative methods that the ICC may resort to due to Israel preventing the Prosecutor from investigating on the ground, Khan stated, “There is a lot of data and testimony or through communications. For me, it is better to be in the region, and I will continue efforts to come to visit Gaza. However, there are satellite technologies and geospatial applications. There are various types of information or evidence that we can use to prove the facts I want to establish.”

He denied that the International Criminal Court follows double standards regarding the Palestinian situation, stating, “I have dedicated a lot of time to Palestinian investigations.”

Khan emphasized that he is doing his utmost and denied being pressured by any state or group with interests, asserting that he does not follow anyone’s agenda but only the sake of justice.