Palestinians in Gaza enter the new year as helpless and besieged as last year.

Israel’s war on the Gaza Strip continued until 2024, resulting in the death of two Palestinians 23842 People and wounded 51,925 This year alone, bringing the horrific official death toll to 46,376, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health.

Israel used siege and starvation methods, as well as scorched earth bombing, sparking accusations of genocide from human rights groups and United Nations legal bodies.

All of them documented Israel’s systematic targeting of hospitals, shelters for displaced people, aid workers, journalists, and so-called safe areas. Which is often anything but.

In northern Gaza, the Israeli army imposed a complete and stifling siege in an attempt to starve out fighters and expel civilians. In what is called “ethnic cleansing”.

Human rights groups say these tactics violate international law and create the conditions to kill a people “in whole or in part,” which meets the definition of genocide in the UN Genocide Convention.

“The past year has been very dark for us. How can I describe it in any other way? It was more than just torture,” said Iman Shagnoubi, 52, from Deir al-Balah in Gaza.

She added: “We have moved from one humiliation to another,” referring to the permanent displacement of Palestinians in the Strip.

Inside Gaza

I presented Israel 34 hospitals in Gaza “stopped operating” and 80 health centers were forced to operate To close it completely, according to the Gaza government media office.

In the last few daysIsraeli forces stormed the only remaining main hospital in devastated northern Gaza, evicting staff and patients before setting the medical facility on fire.

Heavy The rain is currently beating The tent villages that stand in place of many of Gaza’s towns and cities Deaths due to hypothermia It rises as freezing temperatures continue to fall.

Al-Shaghnoubi, a mother of six boys and two girls, said that her children are struggling to survive in the cold, and that her small tent does not protect the family from heavy rain.

“My children sleep on a wet mattress at night,” she told Al Jazeera.

Sherine Abu Nidaa, 40 years old, said that she and her four children are facing difficulties due to the poor living conditions caused by the war. What’s worse is that Israeli forces kidnapped her husband about a year ago, leaving her to take care of her children alone.

“I had to spend this whole year alone, by myself,” she said, her voice trembling.

Musa Ali Muhammad Al-Mughrabi, 52 years old, added that his family has little hope for the future.

He said his nine children are sick, he cannot find medicine, and there is not enough food or clean water for his family, an ordeal faced by most of Gaza’s 2.3 million people.

“[Israel] “We are devastated,” he told Al Jazeera. “Every day, we just hope we die.”

Netanyahu expands the battle

Despite the extreme odds, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shows no sign of stopping the offensive.

Efforts to broker some form of ceasefire, which have continued throughout much of the conflict, have faltered in the face of what many have done, including US President Joe Biden in Junecriticized as political self-interest on the part of the Israeli Prime Minister.

Accusations of exploiting the war on Gaza for personal gain focused on Netanyahu’s attempts to distance himself from his ongoing trial on corruption-related charges. Bribery, fraud and breach of public trustWhich he denies.

Additionally, the prime minister’s corruption trial suggests that Netanyahu is seeking to prolong the war to deflect attention from accusations of negligence or incompetence during the Hamas-led offensive on Gaza. October 7, 2023, which killed 1,139 Israelis.

Accusations of opportunism came from within Netanyahu’s right-wing government. And so is the streetas tens of thousands of people continue to gather in support of the deal that would lead to the release of prisoners captured during the Hamas-led attack.

International deficit

The international community has failed to stop—or mitigate—the carnage in Gaza, largely because of the United States’ unconditional political and military support for Israel’s war on Gaza.

In addition More than $20 billion In aid to Israel since the beginning of the war, the United States has torpedoed diplomatic efforts within the United Nations to end the war, including suppressing Recent reports of possible famine Current in the northern Gaza Strip.

in January, International Court of Justice He ordered Israel to do everything in its power to prevent any act that could be considered genocide. Despite this, human rights organizations based Palestine and internationallyAmnesty International, including Amnesty International, concluded that Israel had actively embarked on a campaign of genocide within the Strip.

Similar international measures have also been taken against both Hamas and the Israeli leadership. In november, International Criminal Court Arrest warrants were issued against Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Galant, as well as Hamas leader Muhammad Deif.

Israel He claims that he killed the guest In July. Netanyahu and Gallant remain wanted for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

In October, Israel defied international pressure and voted to ban the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which is widely recognized as one of Gaza’s main lifelines. When the embargo takes effect in late January next year, Gaza will lose its main aid agency, and with it much of the network that distributes food, medicine and the infrastructure needed to sustain life.

In December, the UN General Assembly voted overwhelmingly in favor of the continuation of UNRWA’s work For the third time, a ceasefire was reached immediately. Despite this, Israeli strikes on Gaza have continued, and the agency’s future remains uncertain.

Palestinians in Gaza, like Abu Nida, hope the war will end soon next year.

“This has been the worst year of my life,” Abu Nidaa said.

“No one in the world has lived through the days we are living in,” she said.