Israel-Gaza Conflict | Heavy rains, storm worsen plight of displaced Palestinians

New Delhi, Dec 13: Overnight heavy rains and storms have further worsened the challenging conditions for hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who fled their homes, particularly impacting those living in makeshift shelters.

Weather forecasts predict more rain in the coming week, signalling additional challenges for Gaza residents. With the region typically experiencing most of its annual rainfall between November and February, the outlook suggests more spells of cool and wet weather in the weeks ahead.

Against this backdrop, Israel reported conducting 250 strikes in the past 24 hours, while Hamas officials claim that 50 people have been killed in the latest wave of air strikes. The Israeli army disclosed that 10 soldiers were killed in fighting in northern Gaza, marking the deadliest day for the military since the ground offensive against Hamas commenced. The situation on the ground remains critical, with ongoing bombardments and air strikes. Khan Younis has turned into a ghost town, and Israeli tanks are yet to reach the city centre, although the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) exert control in the area through intense fire.

With tens of thousands of people forced to flee to the southern district of Rafah in recent days, the UN reports a growing humanitarian crisis. The IDF claims to have thwarted an attack by the militants towards Israeli territory in the Shejaiya region, a significant Hamas stronghold, using an air strike to eliminate the threat. The IDF meanwhile continues precise strikes on terror targets and infrastructure across the Gaza Strip.

The UN General Assembly has overwhelmingly adopted a non-binding resolution demanding a ceasefire in Gaza. Simultaneously, US President Joe Biden has issued sharp criticism of Israel, expressing concern that the country is losing global support due to what he termed "indiscriminate bombing" of Gaza. The conflict, which began when Hamas breached Israel's heavily guarded perimeter on October 7, has resulted in a devastating toll, with the health ministry in Gaza reporting 18,400 deaths and more than 50,000 injuries in response to Israel's military actions.