Israel carries out massive air strikes across occupied West Bank killing civilians

Gaza, July 4: As the humanitarian crisis deepens in the besieged Gaza Strip, Israeli airstrikes on Friday killed nearly 50 Palestinians—including civilians seeking food at aid distribution centers—according to medical sources.

In one of the most lethal events of the day, 15 individuals lost their lives and 90 others sustained injuries while waiting for humanitarian aid near the al-Tahlia roundabout in eastern Khan Younis, southern Gaza.

Eight Palestinians, including women and children, were killed when Israeli forces targeted a tent housing displaced individuals near Tiba Towers in al-Mawasi, located to the west of Khan Yunis.

The majority of the victims were individuals from the same family whose residence was directly struck near the Tiba Towers, as reported by eyewitnesses. Additionally, several others were injured during the attack.

In a separate nearby attack, three more individuals, among them two children, lost their lives close to the British field hospital.

Airstrikes also targeted two tents on the Khan Yunis beachfront, resulting in the deaths of four civilians, primarily women and children.

The official Palestinian Wafa news agency reported that Israeli artillery targeted tents accommodating displaced civilians in al-Mawasi, Rafah, in southern Gaza, causing further casualties.

In the central region of Gaza, four individuals lost their lives in the al-Bureij refugee camp as a family's residence was struck during a nighttime offensive.

In the meantime, three more people lost their lives in southern Gaza City as a result of a strike on a family residence located in the al-Sabra neighborhood.

Israeli forces also targeted a school that was providing shelter for displaced individuals; though, there were no immediate reports about the number of possible casualties.

Separately, eyewitnesses stated that Israeli forces razed multiple residential buildings in the northern flank of Khan Younis.

The latest attacks come as the UN special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territory said on Thursday that Israel is “responsible for one of the cruelest genocides in modern history.”

Francesca Albanese made the remarks at the UN Human Rights Council as he presented her latest report, condemning the Tel Aviv regime over weaponizing Gaza as a testing ground and calling for sweeping international action.

“The situation in the occupied Palestinian territory is apocalyptic,” she said. “In Gaza, Palestinians continue to endure suffering beyond imagination. Israel is responsible for one of the cruelest genocides in modern history.”

Albanese stated that official statistics indicate more than 200,000 Palestinians have been killed or injured; however, prominent health experts believe that “the true toll is far higher.” 

She criticized the so-called Gaza Humanitarian Foundation – Israel's newly established aid system in Gaza, which has been linked to hundreds of deaths thus far – labeling it as “a death trap – engineered to kill or force the flight of a starved, bombarded, emaciated population marked for.”

Albanese noted that arms manufacturers have garnered substantial profits by providing Israel with munitions used in the bombardment of Gaza.

“Arms companies have turned near-record profits by equipping Israel with cutting-edge weaponry to unleash 85,000 tons of explosives – six times the power of Hiroshima – to destroy Gaza,” she said.

The senior UN official denounced Israel over using the Gaza war to “test new weapons, customized surveillance, lethal drones, (and) radar systems,” warning that Palestine’s defenselessness had made it “an ideal laboratory for the Israeli military-industrial complex.”

She also called on businesses to act, stressing, “Corporate entities must urgently cease all business activities and terminate relationships directly linked with, contributing to, and causing human rights violations and international crimes against the Palestinian people.”

Albanese said she no longer believed ignorance or ideology were sufficient explanations for global inaction. “In the face of genocide – so visible, so livestreamed – these explanations fall short.”

She concluded with a call for civil society to play its part, saying, “Trade unions, lawyers, civil society groups, and ordinary citizens should encourage such behavioral change from the side of businesses and governments by pressing for boycotts, divestments, sanctions, and accountability. What comes next depends on all of us.”
 

Israel has waged a systematic "thirst war" in the Gaza Strip, carrying out at least 112 attacks targeting water collection queues that have killed over 700 Palestinians - mostly children - since the war began.

Israeli forces have destroyed 720 wells and blocked fuel needed to run water and sewage infrastructure, the territory's government media office said Monday, resulting in severe water shortages, the collapse of essential services, and the outbreak and spread of disease, especially among children.

On Tuesday morning, Israeli airstrikes targeted multiple locations across the Gaza Strip, including several sites in Gaza City, areas east of Jabalia camp in the northern enclave and other parts of the territory, resulting in several Palestinian casualties and injuries.

The Israeli army issued an urgent evacuation warning to all people living in dozens of Gaza City and Jabalia neighbourhoods.

More than 58,000 Palestinians have been killed since the war began on 7 October 2023, mostly civilians, according to Gaza's health ministry.

Vadodara, July 9: A tragic bridge collapse on Tuesday morning over the Mahisagar river has claimed several lives, raising serious questions about the Gujarat government’s infrastructure oversight and preparedness.

The Gambhira bridge, linking Vadodara and Anand districts, suddenly gave way around 7 a.m., plunging vehicles into the river below. According to eyewitnesses, the bridge span crumbled without warning, sending two trucks, a pick-up van, a car, and multiple motorcycles into the water.

Narendra Mali, a local fisherman who witnessed the collapse, recounted the horrifying moment: “We heard a loud noise and looked up. Vehicles were falling like toys. We immediately rowed towards the scene to rescue people.” Despite rescue efforts by locals and disaster teams, most passengers couldn’t be saved.

Rescue operations led by police and disaster response teams are ongoing. Among the nine deceased, six have been identified so far. The identities of the remaining victims are yet to be confirmed.

A Disaster Long in the Making

Built in 1985, the Gambhira bridge was over four decades old and in a visibly dilapidated state. Locals had repeatedly warned that the bridge shook under the weight of vehicles, yet it remained open to traffic. A proposal for constructing a new bridge was already approved by the government following a recommendation by local BJP MLA Chaitanyasinh Zala, but no urgent steps were taken to close the old one.

The tragic incident has sparked outrage, with residents and opposition leaders asking why traffic was not stopped until the new structure was completed. “This was a preventable tragedy,” said a former municipal engineer who had inspected the area earlier this year.

Political Reactions and Compensation

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his sorrow, calling the loss of lives “deeply saddening.” He announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the families of each deceased victim and Rs 50,000 for the injured.

Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel also expressed condolences and pledged Rs 4 lakh for the kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured, along with free medical treatment. “We stand with the families in this time of grief,” he said.

Vadodara Collector Anil Dhamelia confirmed that rescue remains the top priority. “We’re focused on saving lives and recovering vehicles. Traffic has been diverted,” he stated.

Opposition Slams ‘Gujarat Model’

The Opposition Congress Party has hit out at the state government, calling the incident a “symbol of infrastructure failure under the so-called Gujarat Model.” Senior Congress leader Amit Chavda said, “We raised this issue multiple times. The bridge was unsafe, but no action was taken. This negligence has cost lives.”

Congress alleged deep-rooted corruption in infrastructure planning and execution, claiming that many such aging bridges across Gujarat have been left unattended.

Voices from the Ground

For the locals near the Mahisagar, the collapse has left not just trauma but a bitter question: how many lives must be lost before crumbling infrastructure is taken seriously?

As rescue teams continue searching for survivors and victims, the state now faces tough scrutiny — and grieving families demand accountability.