Israeli military operations have resumed in the Gaza Strip with artillery and helicopter strikes targeting southern regions on Monday, directly violating the established ceasefire agreement. The attacks resulted in the deaths of a young girl and her uncle while injuring four others, including children, when a strike hit a civilian tent in the al-Mawasi area of Khan Younis.
The Israel Defense Forces claimed via social media platform X that their operation targeted a Hamas terrorist allegedly planning an imminent attack against Israeli forces. However, no evidence was provided to substantiate this claim, and the military made no mention of the civilian casualties resulting from the strike.
United Nations spokesperson Stephane Dujarric confirmed during a press briefing that Israeli airstrikes continued across multiple areas of Gaza, exacerbating an already severe humanitarian situation. The attacks coincide with destructive winter storms that have damaged critical infrastructure and placed additional strain on water, sanitation, and hygiene services.
According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), heavy rainfall has compromised damaged water infrastructure, raising water levels in Wadi Gaza and Sheikh Radwan lagoon. The humanitarian community is engaging with Israeli authorities to allow specialized equipment entry to operate dewatering pumps.
While the UN reported meeting 100 percent of minimum caloric standards in Gaza for the first time since October 2023, concerns mount over Israel’s recent ban on 37 international NGOs operating in the territory. The organizations, accused of failing to comply with security requirements, collectively provide more than half of all food assistance, support 60 percent of field hospitals, and implement nearly three-quarters of shelter activities.
A joint statement from 53 NGOs emphasized that humanitarian access must be measured by whether civilians receive appropriate assistance in the right place and time, warning that the ban threatens to severely impede critical aid delivery to Gaza’s civilian population.