The Palestinian death toll from Israel’s assault on the Gaza Strip has passed 815 as new attacks kill more civilians and spark the largest West Bank protests in decades. On Thursday, at least 16 civilians died and more than 200 were wounded when a United Nations shelter was bombed in the Gazan area of Beit Hanoun. Palestinian officials have blamed Israeli tank shelling, while Israel has suggested militant rockets were at fault. The United Nations has declined to accuse Israel directly, but UNRWA spokesperson Christopher Gunness strongly suggested Israeli shelling was responsible.
Christopher Gunness: “These are people who had taken shelter in a U.N.-designated area. The warring parties, particularly the Israelis, were given the precise GPS coordinates. They knew exactly what was going on there, and in spite of that, this has happened. We again say, 'Enough civilians, enough women, enough children.' They have suffered quite enough in this appalling conflict.”
Overall, at least 119 people were killed Thursday in Israeli strikes on Gaza.