© WHO Kamal Adwana Hospital in northern Gaza. Middle East: Lebanese airspace violations and attacks on Gaza Peace and Security
Israeli forces have launched new attacks on Gaza and violated Lebanese airspace more than a hundred times – despite existing ceasefire agreements. This was reported on Monday by UN agencies and the Blue Helmets.
On Friday, the Peace Council, led by the United States and acting within the framework of the 20-point plan approved by the Security Council, announced a transition to the disarmament stage in Gaza. Hamas officials said they accepted the proposed road map. The Israeli government, for its part, said on Sunday that it has “serious security concerns” and does not intend to withdraw troops from Gaza until Hamas is completely disarmed.
Strike near hospital
Over the weekend, Israeli airstrikes, shelling and shooting continued throughout the strip, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said. Media reports said at least 25 people were killed. On Saturday, a strike near Al-Aqsa Hospital destroyed a warehouse containing critical medical supplies. This comes amid severe shortages of medicines and basic supplies. Gaza’s health ministry said there were more than 150 deaths in the strip in July. This is the highest monthly figure since the beginning of the year, said UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq. Most of the attacks occurred in the western part of the strip, where almost the entire population is now concentrated – about 2.1 million people. Meanwhile, in the occupied West Bank, a surge in violence from Israeli settlers continues. According to OCHA, July was one of the deadliest months for Palestinians due to such attacks since the war began in October 2023.
The situation around Lebanon
In the north of the region, UN peacekeepers are recording daily violations of Lebanese airspace. According to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), 125 such incidents were recorded from Thursday to Sunday, and the total time Israeli aircraft were in the sky exceeded 418 hours. Reconnaissance and armed drones were observed in the skies near the peacekeepers’ positions. UNIFIL also reports extensive military activity on the ground, including engineering work and troop movements. More than 4,300 people have been killed and more than 12,200 injured in Lebanon since Hezbollah’s involvement in the regional conflict began following US and Israeli strikes on Iran, according to Lebanese authorities.