News Center- Last night, the Israeli army targeted two buildings in Rafah, a city in the southern Gaza Strip. At least 50 people were killed and 12 more were injured in the attack targeting the buildings, the official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported.

The search and rescue efforts continue for at least 50 people trapped under the rubble. According to local reports, violent clashes are taking place between Israeli forces and Palestinian resistance fighters in northern Gaza.

 Death toll raises

The Gaza Health Ministry said on Tuesday that 19,667 Palestinians, including at least 8,000 children and 6,200 women, had been killed and 52,586 wounded in the Israeli assault since October 7. The number of casualties is expected to rise as more bodies were pulled from the rubble.

A total of 254,000 housing units in the Gaza Strip were destroyed by the Israeli army; 52,600 housing units were completely destroyed, according to the Gaza officials. 22 hospitals and 53 medical centers are out of service due to Israeli airstrikes and the Israeli army targeted 140 healthcare facilities. 102 ambulances became unusable after being targeted by the Israeli army.

In the Israeli assault, 90 schools and universities were completely destroyed and 282 schools and universities were partially destroyed.

Since October 7, at least 300 medical workers, 32 Civil Defense members and 97 journalists have been killed in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza, the Gaza Health Ministry said.

‘Without safe water, many more children will die’

“Access to sufficient clean water is a matter of life and death, and children in Gaza have barely a drop to drink,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell on Wednesday. “Without safe water, many more children will die. Constant bombing, restrictions on materials and fuel are preventing critical progress.”

Children under age 5 are, on average, 20 times more likely to die from diarrheal diseases associated with poor water, sanitation and hygiene than from violence in conflict, according to UNICEF.

On December 18, Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, wrote a social media message to honor the memory of the victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. Her social media post said, “I honour the memory of the victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.”I also honour the Rwandan nation as a whole, who found the strength to forgive.”While the past shall never be forgotten, Rwanda has emerged ready to build a bright future as a modern and united country.”

Francesca P. Albanese, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, reposted the social media post of Ursula von der Leyen and wrote, “Dear President, the best way to commemorate the victims of a past genocide would be to use all your powers to avoid another genocide, as the one in the making in Gaza. Else your important commemoration today risks sounding hollow.”