March, 18 2025, 03:51pm EDT
For Immediate Release
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Israeli air strikes kill over 400 Palestinians across Gaza following unilateral resumption of mass attacks
Responding to a series of Israeli strikes across the occupied Gaza Strip overnight which killed at least 414 Palestinians, including 174 children, and hospitalized over 550 more, signalling a unilateral end to the truce with Hamas, Amnesty International’s Secretary General Agnès Callamard said:
“Today is a desperately dark day for humanity. Israel brazenly resumed its devastating bombing campaign in Gaza killing at least 414 people in their sleep, including at least 100 children, and again wiping out entire families in a matter of hours. Palestinians in Gaza – who have barely had a chance to start piecing together their lives and continue to grapple with the trauma of Israel’s past attacks – have woken up once more to the hellish nightmare of intense bombardment.
Palestinians in Gaza – who have barely had a chance to start piecing together their lives and continue to grapple with the trauma of Israel’s past attacks – have woken up once more to the hellish nightmare of intense bombardment. — Amnesty International’s Secretary General Agnès Callamard
“Israel’s genocide and its unlawful air strikes have already caused unprecedented humanitarian suffering in Gaza. Today, we are back to square one. Since 2 March, Israel has re-imposed a total siege on Gaza blocking the entry of all humanitarian aid, medicine, and commercial supplies, including fuel and food, in flagrant violation of international law. Israel has also cut off electricity to Gaza’s main operational desalination plant. And today the Israeli military has once again started issuing mass ‘evacuation’ orders displacing Palestinians.
“Amnesty International’s researchers spoke to medical staff working at three hospitals in Gaza City and North Gaza governorate who described scenes of unspeakable horror beginning in the early hours of the morning. Al-Shifa, once the largest medical complex in Gaza, now largely destroyed by past Israeli military raids, had only three beds to receive the wounded.
“Al-Ahli Arab Baptist hospital in Gaza City – the only hospital with a functioning intensive care unit – was forced to treat some of the 80 wounded it received in the corridors and in the hospital’s yard. The Indonesian hospital is the only hospital in north Gaza Governorate that is barely functioning. It is still in the process of being rebuilt, following Israel’s previous military campaign.
“The near-total decimation of the healthcare system in Gaza, particularly in the north, and the desperate shortages in medical equipment and supplies, exacerbated by Israel’s unlawful siege, effectively means a death sentence for many of those with serious injuries and illnesses, including those that in normal conditions would be easily curable. All the while, Israeli authorities continue to impose extremely tight restrictions on medical evacuations outside Gaza.
“The resumption of Israel’s attacks also puts the lives of 24 remaining Israeli hostages believed to be alive at risk. This is also a cruel blow for hostages and Palestinian detainees as well as for their families. We remind all parties that civilian hostages and arbitrarily detained Palestinians must be released.
“The world cannot stand by and allow Israel to continue inflicting staggering levels of death and suffering on Palestinians in Gaza. We urge all states to uphold their obligations to prevent and punish genocide and to ensure respect for international humanitarian law, by pressing Israel to end its attacks and to facilitate the unconditional and unhindered entry of humanitarian aid. “States must come together and demand an immediate resumption of an enduring ceasefire, an end to Israel’s genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, and the dismantling of its system of apartheid and unlawful occupation of Palestinian territory.”
Amnesty International is a worldwide movement of people who campaign for internationally recognized human rights for all. Our supporters are outraged by human rights abuses but inspired by hope for a better world - so we work to improve human rights through campaigning and international solidarity. We have more than 2.2 million members and subscribers in more than 150 countries and regions and we coordinate this support to act for justice on a wide range of issues.
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