On Wednesday, UN experts called for urgent measures to prevent the "extermination" of Palestinians in Gaza, following reports from rescue workers stating that Israeli attacks throughout the region had resulted in numerous fatalities.
An impending large-scale operation disclosed by the Israeli army has faced global criticism, following warnings from UN organizations about an imminent humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian region, which has been ravaged by 19 months of conflict.
Over twenty separate UN specialists stated that humanity was confronted with a critical choice: "to stand idle and watch the killing of innocent people or to engage in formulating a fair solution."
The experts urged the global community to avoid falling into the "moral chasm we are approaching."
Israel's extensive operation, sanctioned by the government during a two-month humanitarian shutdown on Gaza, aims to displace "the majority" of the population, according to military statements.
President Emmanuel Macron of France said on Wednesday that the circumstances in Gaza are "the most severe we have ever witnessed."
Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez stated that Madrid intends to submit a draft resolution at the UN General Assembly proposing "urgent actions to halt the slaughter of unarmed civilians and guarantee delivery of humanitarian assistance" in Gaza.
The British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, informed Parliament that the circumstances in Gaza and the occupied West Bank have become "ever more untenable."
The EU foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, stated on Wednesday that Brussels has extended an offer to Israel "to distribute the humanitarian aid should they not have confidence in the other entities involved."
Palestinian rescuers reported that an Israeli attack on Wednesday resulted in 59 fatalities, with 48 deaths occurring in Gaza City.
"The civil defense teams, medical personnel, and volunteers transferred a minimum of 33 deceased individuals and over 80 wounded, including roughly half who were children and several women, following an Israeli airstrike," stated spokesperson Mahmud Bassal, in reference to the Al-Rimal area of Gaza City.
This attack ranks among the most lethal since Israel restarted its operations in Gaza following the collapse of a two-month truce on March 18.
Previously, Bassal reported 15 fatalities from airstrikes in the Tuffah area east of Gaza City and 11 more deaths across the rest of the region.
A projectile struck a home in the southern town of Khan Younis, resulting in the deaths of eight members of the Al-Qidra family and injuring 12 others, according to him.
The deceased ranged from ages two to 54, he mentioned.
Footage provided by Agence France-Presse at Khan Younis' Nasser Hospital depicted injured children weeping on hospital beds as well as body bags being brought in via ambulances.
"They were sleeping and the house collapsed on them," Abir Shehab said, adding that her brother had been killed.
"We die of hunger, we die of war, we die of fear, we die of everything, and the whole world stands by and watches us die," she said.
The Israeli army did not provide an immediate statement regarding the attacks.
World CentralKitchen (WCK), which was managing one of the final operational bakeries in Gaza, announced late Wednesday that they no longer possessed sufficient supplies to prepare meals or bake bread in the area.
The additional supplies of food and equipment are prepared for shipment to the border from both Jordan and Egypt. The charity stated, "Our crucial operations cannot proceed without authorization from Israel allowing this assistance to pass through."
Earlier on Wednesday, Hamas restated its demand for a "holistic" accord to bring the conflict to an end.
"Hamas and the resistance factions insist on reaching a comprehensive agreement and a full package to end the war and aggression, along with a road map for the day after," political bureau member Bassem Naim said.
"There will be frantic efforts leading up to [US President Donald] Trump's visit to the area... to push through a provisional agreement," he stated.
Trump is scheduled to visit the Gulf region next week for discussions with influential royal families.
Saudi Arabia, which was among the destinations for the US president’s tour, expressed on Wednesday its “unequivocal opposition” to Israel’s proposal to broaden its military operations.
A representative from Israel stated earlier this week that the enlarged military operation in Gaza would involve the "takeover" of the region.
Prior to the start, an Israeli high-ranking security official mentioned that the scheduling of military deployments would provide a "window of opportunity" for potentially arranging a hostage exchange during Trump's visit.
"We aim to save as many hostages as we can," Trump stated at the White House, without providing further details.
The health authority under Hamas-controlled Gaza reported on Wednesday that at least 2,545 individuals have lost their lives since Israel restarted its operations, raising the total death toll from this conflict to 52,653.
Hamas's October 2023 attack resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people on the Israeli side, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.
Extremists likewise seized control of 251 individuals; among them, 58 remain captive in Gaza, with the Israeli military asserting that out of these, 34 are deceased.
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This article originally appeared on the South China Morning Post (www.scmp.com), the leading news media reporting on China and Asia.
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