Gaza City, October 21 (RHC)-- “The nightmare in Gaza is intensifying.”  Those are the words of a top United Nations official as Israel escalates its attacks amid a devastating siege on northern Gaza.  

Health officials in Gaza say at least 87 Palestinians were killed in an Israeli airstrike on Beit Lahia on Saturday.   Survivors said the dead include many women and children.

Ahmed Al Hajeen told reporters: “We were asleep around 12 a.m. when it suddenly felt like an earthquake hit the area.  Debris was falling on us. We rushed outside after hearing screams of women and children and found that our neighbors had been targeted by massive bombs.  Tons of explosives had fallen on a residential neighborhood full of civilians and displaced families.  All those who were martyred here are children, women and displaced people who fled from other areas due to heavy strikes, seeking shelter in what they believed to be a safer place.”

Al Jazeera reports another 33 Palestinians have been killed so far today, Monday, including 18 in the Jabaliya refugee camp.  Israel is also targeting the last three hospitals in northern Gaza: the Indonesian, Al-Awda and Kamal Adwan hospitals. Doctors Without Borders reports more than 350 patients are believed to be trapped inside the hospitals.

Meanwhile, Israel has blocked six medical NGOs from entering Gaza. The groups include Glia and the Palestinian American Medical Association.  Israel also killed four water engineers who were traveling to make repairs to the water infrastructure near Khan Younis. According to Oxfam, the engineers were traveling in a clearly marked vehicle when they were attacked.

On Sunday, the Palestinian Authority denounced Israel’s escalating attacks, saying in a statement, “Genocide is unfolding in northern Gaza in its clearest form — in full view of the world — marked by siege, starvation, forced displacement, destruction of buildings, aerial bombardment, targeting of health centres, and mass killings.”

[ SOURCE:  DEMOCRACY NOW ]