Israel's New Year’s Day Airstrikes Kill 17 in Gaza

Israeli fighter jets and drones launched airstrikes on Gaza as the New Year arrived, killing 17 Palestinians, including at least 15 in the northern town of Jabalia, where most of the victims were children. Two more were killed in the central Bureij refugee camp.

The Israeli military claims the strikes are aimed at preventing Hamas from regrouping. However, critics argue the ongoing siege is intended to force residents from the northern Gaza areas, creating a “buffer zone” for Israel.

Thousands are now facing displacement amid worsening conditions.

Palestinian families in Bureij are facing new evacuation orders after rockets were fired from the area towards Israeli communities.

Meanwhile, Israeli forces have reportedly blown up residential buildings in Jabalia and the nearby Beit Lahiya.

As families attempt to flee the violence, they are also struggling against severe cold weather. Many displaced Palestinians are living in tents without warm clothing and relying on makeshift heating methods. Floodwaters from days of rain have rendered many tents uninhabitable, causing further suffering.

The Palestinian Civil Defence reports that at least seven people, including six babies, have died from hypothermia in the past week. A field hospital in Khan Younis was also flooded.

UN officials are calling for urgent access to northern Gaza. Tom Fletcher, the UN under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs, slammed Israeli authorities for denying nearly all attempts by the UN to provide aid. “Almost zero access” has been granted despite over 140 requests to reach besieged civilians.

The UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has highlighted deteriorating conditions in Gaza City, where displaced families are struggling to meet basic needs. The lack of food, sanitation, and medical aid at temporary shelters is exacerbating the crisis.

In addition to the toll in Gaza, OCHA reported that 2024 saw a record number of Israeli settler attacks in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, with nearly 1,400 incidents causing Palestinian casualties and property damage.