New Year’s Day massacre: Israel kills dozens of Palestinians in Gaza
- At least 29 Palestinians, including children and women, are killed throughout Gaza on New Year’s Day in Israeli attacks in northern Jabalia, the central Bureij refugee camp, Gaza City, and southern Khan Younis.
- Days of heavy rain have flooded hundreds of makeshift shelters across the Strip, piling more misery on displaced Palestinians as Israel continues to restrict the entry of humanitarian aid.
Israel aircraft ‘showered us with missiles’
Funerals are being held for victims of an Israeli attack on the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza in which at least 17 people – including children and women – died.
“We were sleeping and woke up to a massive explosion, a massive earthquake. The Israeli warplanes showered us with missiles. Many were killed and injured. The destruction is indescribable,” said survivor Refaat Taroush.
At least 20 Palestinians were wounded in the air strike, with medical sources telling Al Jazeera many have critical injuries. Funerals were held at the al-Ahli Hospital.
Twin threats in Gaza: Israeli bombs and freezing temperatures
Displaced Palestinians in Gaza say they’re facing not just Israeli army attacks but also falling temperatures and heavy rain, which has flooded thousands of tents across the war-battered territory.
“For three days, we haven’t slept out of fear that our children would fall sick because of the winter as well as fear of missiles falling on us,” said Samah Darabieh, a woman displaced from central Gaza’s Deir el-Balah and now living in Beit Lahiya.
“Two days ago, they bombed al-Wafaa hospital, which is behind us, and the shrapnel dropped here.”
Gaza’s Health Ministry said seven children have died from the cold within the span of a week.
Israeli army blames ‘weakening of discipline’ in death of archaeologist
The Israeli military blamed “operational burnout” and a “weakening of discipline and safety” in the death of a 70-year-old archaeologist killed in southern Lebanon in November along with a soldier while the archaeologist, Zeev Erlich, was visiting a combat zone.
According to Israeli media reports, Erlich was wearing a military uniform and had a weapon when he was shot. The army said that though he was not on active duty, he was a reservist with the rank of major. The military identified him as a “fallen soldier” when it announced his death.
Erlich was a well-known West Bank settler and researcher of Jewish history. Media reports at the time of his death said he entered Lebanon to explore an archaeological site. The family of the active-duty soldier who was killed alongside him has expressed anger over the circumstances of the soldier’s death.
The military launched an investigation after the two were killed in a Hezbollah ambush. A separate probe is looking into who allowed Erlich to enter.
