The explosions follow one another, a few minutes apart, broadcast live on the Qatari channel Al-Jazeera. Monday, October 9, in the middle of the afternoon, the residential and commercial district of Al-Rimal, in central Gaza, one of the most densely populated areas in the world, was relentlessly bombarded by fighter planes. of the Israeli army.
Suddenly, a building collapses in a thick black cloud, birds fleeing all around. “We endured intense bombing. Last night was terrible, but the last few hours have been even worse. Fifteen relatives took refuge in my home after having had to leave their home in Al-Rimal », breathes Najla Shawa, who lives to the south of the district.
The area had already been heavily hit in 2021, including a bombing which killed more than forty people on Al-Wehda Street. “The scale of destruction exceeds that of the 2014 war or [du conflit] of 2021. It’s continuous and we don’t know when it will stop. A child came with my relatives, I didn’t know him and when I welcomed them, I hugged him. He started to cry: he had just experienced two bombings on the way here. This is all beyond comprehension.”continues the Palestinian humanitarian worker who testifies in a voice message, her voice breaking.
The Gaza Strip, under Israeli blockade for more than sixteen years, and now under a complete siege ordered by Israel on Monday, in retaliation for Hamas attacks, is today inaccessible to foreigners. Five Palestinian journalists have been killed there since Saturday. In a provisional report, communicated Monday evening, the Gazans announced 687 deaths including 140 children and more than 3,000 injured.
On Saturday October 7, the Jewish state entered into war with the Gaza Strip after a large surprise attack by Hamas, the Islamist movement which rules the enclave. Its fighters infiltrated Israel, taking around a hundred hostages and succeeding in taking control of several localities in the south of the country. On the Israeli side, more than 900 people were killed in this attack and 2,616 others injured.
No building seems safe from Israeli strikes
First in shock, then mobilized to reconquer parts of their territory, Israeli soldiers carried out heavy strikes on Gaza all weekend. But since Sunday evening, the bombings have been on an unprecedented scale – even on the scale of the five wars and the numerous military operations that the enclave has experienced.
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