what to remember from January 27, 2024

Deadly fighting between the Israeli army and Hamas is raging in the south of the Gaza Strip, where hundreds of thousands of trapped civilians are surviving in “conditions of despair” according to the UN.

The fate of civilians in Gaza remains at the heart of serious concerns on Saturday January 27, the day after a decision by the highest UN court calling on Israel to prevent any possible act of “genocide” in the Palestinian territory. Concerns are focused on Khan Younes, the main city in the south of the besieged territory which has been the scene of fierce fighting in recent days between the Israeli army and the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas. While the war, on its 113th day, knows no respite, Qatar, Egypt and the United States are trying to mediate to reach a new truce, which would include the release of Palestinian hostages and prisoners.

Violent fighting in Khan Younes

Khan Younes, the largest city in southern Gaza, is considered by Israel to be a Hamas stronghold. It is now at the heart of the war, with violent clashes still ongoing, according to witnesses interviewed by AFP. The fighting is raging particularly around the city’s two main hospitals, Nasser and al-Amal, which are only operating slowly and which house sick people but also thousands of displaced people. The Hamas health ministry announced that 135 people were killed overnight.

Tens of thousands of civilians in camps

A few kilometers further south, tens of thousands of civilians are massed in Rafah, stuck in a very small perimeter against the closed border with Egypt. In total, around 1.7 million civilians have fled their homes since the start of the war, according to the UN. During the night, torrential rains flooded the tent camps, adding to the distress of the displaced people who trampled in the muddy water while trying to save some belongings, according to AFP images. “Heavy rains flood thousands of displaced people in Rafah, Khan Younes” as well as in Nuseirat, Deir el-Balah and Gaza City, further north, Civil Defense spokesman Mahmoud Bassal said.

Donors withdraw from UN agency

Italy, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom and Finland followed in the footsteps of the United States, suspending all additional aid to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA). At issue: accusations brought by Israel against employees. According to Washington, the agency separated from 12 people accused of being involved in the attack perpetrated on October 7 by the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas on Israeli soil. Unrwa did not react on Saturday to the announcements of suspension of funds. In total, it specifies on its site, the agency employs 13,000 people in the Gaza Strip.

International justice demands entry of aid

Seized by South Africa, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the highest court of the UN, on Friday called on Israel to prevent any possible act of “genocide” in Gaza, an accusation tried “scandalous” by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Israel, which controls the entry of international aid into this besieged territory, must take “immediate measures” to allow access to aid in Gaza, declared the ICJ, which has no leverage to impose its decisions.