9,000 Gazan children have undergone amputations, many without anesthesia – Day 81

241 killed in Gaza in 24 hours; Gazan prisoners of Israel report horrific torture; Israeli military leader would not hesitate to attack “safe zones” if needed; Palestinian organs stolen; Israel accuses Hezbollah of targeting one house of worship, while Israel has targeted 200+; 6 killed by drone attack in West Bank

More than 9,000 children in Gaza have undergone amputation, in many cases without anesthesia: In the Gaza Strip, the life of any child could turn into a nightmare in the blink of an eye. Families try to keep their children safe, but this becomes harder and harder with the intense bombardments. Many houses have been destroyed, and many children ended up under the rubble. More than 9,000 children have been injured in the Gaza Strip, leaving them grappling with the loss of an arm or a leg.

Read the story of 4-year-old Ghazala, who lost a leg, here.

The Israeli army says it has hit 200 targets in Gaza from air, land and sea in the past 24 hours; the Gaza Health Ministry reports at least 241 killed and 382 injured in the past 24 hours.

RECOMMENDED VIEWING (DISTURBING): Palestinian detainees describe horrific torture by Israeli forces

Israel’s Army Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi said Israel would not hesitate to attack safe zones, “if it identifies terrorist organization activity threatening the security of Israel. A building falls when it is an enemy target, a building falls when it poses a danger to our forces.” The statement came after an Israeli attack hit a home in al-Mawasi, a rural area in Khan Younis governate, that Israel declared “a safe zone.” One woman was killed and at least eight others were wounded.

The Israeli military official account on X declared, “[Lebanese resistance group] Hezbollah attacked the St. Mary’s Greek-Orthodox Church of Iqrit in northern Israel. An anti-tank missile from Lebanon directly hit the church, injuring a civilian. This attack is not only a clear violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, but also a violation of the freedom of worship.”

Notably, Israel has destroyed nearly 200 mosques and all 3 Christian churches in Gaza.

RECOMMENDED READING: Prospect of ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in Gaza to Sinai grows

Israeli army admits it mistakenly killed 2 of its own soldiers in Gaza last month during a military operation. According to Army Radio, an Israeli tank spotted suspicious movements in a building and decided to shell its second floor, resulting in the death of the troops. It was later determined that the building was being used as a base by an infantry commander in the besieged enclave.

Gaza media office: 80 Palestinian bodies returned showed evidence that their organs had been stolen. The government office made the accusation after examining corpses returned earlier in the day at the Karam Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) border crossing.

If Americans Knew exposed this practice in 2009 – see https://ifamericansknew.org/cur_sit/aw-organs2 and https://ifamericansknew.org/cur_sit/sweden.html

New York Times: Former senior Israeli officials praise Hamas’ resilience: retired major general and former head of Israel’s National Security Council Giora Eiland told the Times, “From a professional point of view, I must give credit to their resilience,” he said. “I cannot see any signs of collapse of the military abilities of Hamas nor in their political strength to continue to lead Gaza.”

Michael Milshtein, a former senior intelligence officer for Israel, criticized statements by some Israeli leaders which suggest that Hamas is at its breaking point. “They’ve been saying this for a while, that Hamas is collapsing. But it’s just not true. Every day, we’re facing tough battles.”

Senior Palestine analyst at the International Crisis Group think tank Tahani Mustafa, weighed in on the idea of destroying Hamas: “As long as that context [of Israeli control over Palestinian lands] is there, you will be dealing with some form of Hamas. To assume that you can simply uproot an organization like that is fantasy.”

RECOMMENDED READING (NEW YORK TIMES): Skepticism Grows Over Israel’s Ability to Dismantle Hamas

This family had a four-bedroom home in Gaza City, filled with love; and a garden with lemon, mango and guava trees. Before the war, Mohammed and Rana were about to embark on their final year of university studies. Now their next meal is uncertain.

They are refugees in Rafah, sharing a single room with 8 others.

“I don’t sleep all night,” says Rania. “I lie awake all night thinking: What are we going to do? Where are we going to go?”

Rania described the battle for survival in Rafah. “Life has tired us out. It has become impossible,” she says. “It’s not just me. It’s like a million Palestinians just like me. And some of them are in an even worse situation.”

Israeli pacifist teenager sentenced to 30 days in military prison for refusing to enlist in the army in protest of Israel’s war in Gaza. “Violence cannot solve the situation, neither by Hamas, nor by Israel. There is no military solution to a political problem,” he wrote in a statement explaining his decision.

Nur Shams (Tulkarm) in the occupied West Bank was the site of an overnight Israeli raid and deadly Israeli drone strike, which reportedly hit six men, aged between 16 and 29 years old, who were standing, watching the raid. “The drone came from above, and the men simply didn’t stand a chance. This was a deliberate kill shot,” a reporter said.

“People tried to help them, but for at least an hour and a half, the Israelis wouldn’t allow ambulances to get in. Eventually, they had to pick up the bodies and take them down to where the ambulances were. Of course, at that stage. It was too late. These people were dead.”

STATISTICS OCTOBER 7 – DECEMBER 26:

Palestinian death toll since October 7: at least 20,749* (~20,639 in Gaza* (70% women and children), and at least 311 in the West Bank, about 77 of them children). This does not include an estimated 8,000 more still buried under rubble. Euro-Med Monitor reports 28,091 Palestinian deaths.

*IAK does not yet include 471 Gazans killed in the Al Ahli hospital blast since the source of the projectile is being disputed; although much evidence points to Israel as the culprit, experts are still looking into the incident. Israel is blocking an international investigation.

Palestinian injuries since October 7: at least 58,665** (including at least 55,243 in Gaza** and 3,665 in the West Bank). **NOTE: it is impossible to provide an accurate number of injuries in Gaza due to the ongoing bombardment and communication disruption. 

It remains unknown how many Americans are among the casualties. in Gaza**. About 1.9 million people have been displaced (about 85-90% of the population).

Reported Israeli death toll since October 7: ~1,139  (7 killed in West Bank, 165 in Gaza), including 32 Americans, and 5,431 injured, approximately 36 children).

NOTE: It is unknown at this time how many of the deaths and injuries in Israel may have been caused by Israeli soldiers; additionally, since Israel has a policy of universal conscription, it is unknown how many of those attending the outdoor rave a few miles from Gaza on stolen Palestinian land were Israeli soldiers.

Find previous daily casualty figures and daily news updates here. For more news, go here and here. Live broadcast news from the region is here.

• 12 Essential Facts for Understanding the Current Israel-Gaza Violence
• Israel’s Assault on Gaza Is Unlike Any War in Recent Memory
• US poised to give Israel $18 billion in aid this year
• Remembering Lubna Alyaan, the aspiring violinist killed in Gaza
• Rumors of war: did hundreds of Hamas fighters surrender to Israeli forces?
• Gaza Civilians, Under Israeli Barrage, Are Being Killed at Historic Pace
• Israel has lost control of the narrative – October 7 truths coming out
• Essential facts and stats about the Hamas-Gaza-Israel war
• What media reports fail to tell you about October 7