Tragedy Strikes: The Al-Ahli Stadium Airstrike and Its Aftermath:

At least 12 Palestinians, including seven women and two children, were killed in an Israeli airstrike on a stadium in the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza. The al-Ahli Stadium, once a sports venue, had been converted into a makeshift shelter for displaced families fleeing the escalating violence in Gaza. “I only had what I had in my hand. I left with nothing,” said Najwa, a displaced woman from Gaza City, speaking to Al Jazeera. “We are frightened. Transportation is expensive. We can’t pay to bring our things.” The deadly attack is part of a wider Israeli military campaign that has intensified over recent days, with at least 85 Palestinians killed across Gaza on Wednesday alone—more than double the number killed the previous day. The United Nations has warned that Israel’s actions are “inflicting terror on the Palestinian population” and forcing tens of thousands to flee in desperation. Despite Israel’s claims that civilians are being encouraged to move south “for their safety,” UN investigators have dismissed this as disingenuous. A recent UN Commission of Inquiry concluded that Israel’s military operations are part of a broader strategy aimed at establishing permanent control over Gaza while ensuring demographic dominance in the West Bank and inside Israel. Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir asserted that “most of Gaza’s population has already left Gaza City,” and that the army would “continue a systematic and thorough advance” into the territory’s largest urban center. Since the war erupted on October 7, 2023, following a Hamas-led attack that killed 1,139 people in Israel and saw about 200 hostages taken, Israel has launched a relentless assault on Gaza. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, at least 65,419 Palestinians have been killed and over 167,000 wounded. Thousands remain buried beneath rubble, and entire neighborhoods have been wiped out. At the United Nations General Assembly in New York, global leaders issued urgent appeals for a ceasefire. Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian condemned the violence, stating, “Those criminals who bully by murdering children are not worthy of the name ‘human being’.” Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa added, “We call for an immediate end to the war.” Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide revealed that backdoor diplomacy is underway, referencing the “New York Declaration” peace roadmap, which has the backing of 142 nations. “Even those closest to Israel are beginning to see that this endless, senseless war must stop — including the United States,” he told Al Jazeera. Meanwhile, U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff said Washington is “hopeful, even confident” that a breakthrough may be announced soon. He confirmed that a revised 21-point peace plan first proposed by President Donald Trump has been circulated among world leaders. However, efforts toward peace have repeatedly stalled. Earlier this month, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly ordered airstrikes on Hamas leaders meeting in Doha to discuss Trump’s peace initiative. He also unilaterally withdrew from a ceasefire agreement in March and imposed a total aid blockade, triggering mass famine across Gaza. Netanyahu, who now faces an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes, remains defiant. Before leaving for the UN, he dismissed calls for a Palestinian state, stating that “the shameful surrender of some leaders to Palestinian terrorism will not bind Israel.” Protests erupted in Tel Aviv ahead of his departure, with hundreds rallying at Ben Gurion Airport demanding his resignation, as Israel faces growing isolation on the world stage.

NEWS