The humanitarian crisis in Gaza: an urgent call for peace and civilian protection.

The tension in the Middle East has once again reached critical levels with the intensification of Israel's offensive in the city of Gaza. In particular, military operations have focused on the neighborhoods of Rafah and Shujaiya, where the Israeli Army claims to have killed dozens of alleged fighters in close combat with air support. The situation in the Gaza Strip is becoming increasingly heartbreaking, with a death toll of 43 in a single day and over 100 wounded, raising the total number of victims to alarming figures. According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, controlled by Hamas, the conflict has left a devastating toll of 37,877 dead, mostly women and children, and 86,969 injured. Additionally, an estimated 10,000 people are believed to be trapped under the rubble of bombed buildings. Israeli military actions have included incursions into places such as a UN school allegedly used as a hideout and storage facility by Hamas militants, where weapons and intelligence documents were found. Israeli authorities have defended their actions, accusing Hamas of using civilian structures for terrorist purposes and embedding themselves in hospitals and medical clinics to carry out their operations. Alongside the offensive in Shujaiya, Israeli troops continue their operational activities in Rafah, at the southern end of the Strip, eliminating alleged terrorists, dismantling tunnels, and destroying mortar launch sites. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reaffirmed his country's determination in the fight against terrorism, emphasizing the severity of the battles being fought in the region, both on the surface and in clandestine operations. However, the humanitarian consequences of this offensive are devastating, with the Gaza Strip transformed into an almost uninhabitable place, with destroyed buildings, schools, and hospitals reduced to rubble and a population at risk of famine. The international community has reacted with concern to the escalation of violence in Gaza, urging an immediate cessation of hostilities and the protection of civilians trapped in the conflict. Meanwhile, medical sources in Gaza continue to report deaths and injuries in each airstrike, facing difficulties in accessing the most affected areas due to the intensity of the fighting. The situation in Gaza is a reminder of the urgency to find a political and negotiated solution to this long-standing conflict, which has caused suffering and devastation to thousands of people in the region. The international community cannot remain indifferent to the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza and must redouble its efforts to achieve a lasting peace that ends the bloodshed and the suffering of the civilian population.