Gaza Herald – Gaza’s Civil Defense has condemned the Israeli attack that killed an entire Palestinian family by fire after their home was struck, warning that severe shortages of equipment and resources are crippling its ability to carry out life-saving rescue operations.
In a statement issued Wednesday, the Civil Defense said its crews continue to face devastating humanitarian scenes daily as Israeli attacks on civilians cause widespread destruction and mounting casualties across the Gaza Strip.
According to the statement, the targeted home was occupied by an entire family when an Israeli strike ignited a massive fire, killing the father, mother, and all of their children after they were trapped inside the burning building before rescue teams could reach them.
The Civil Defense said it is facing a critical operational crisis that prevents it from fulfilling its humanitarian responsibilities, despite being the sole agency responsible for firefighting, rescue, and emergency response under international protocols.
It held Israel fully responsible for the attack, stressing that as a grave violation of international humanitarian law targeting civilians inside their homes.
The agency revealed that emergency response capacity in Gaza Governorate, the largest governorate in the Strip, has dropped to just 25% after one of its main rescue centers was forced to suspend operations nearly a month ago due to shortages of engine oil, spare parts, and batteries needed to operate rescue and firefighting vehicles.
It also accused Israeli forces of carrying out simultaneous attacks on multiple civilian locations, overwhelming already depleted rescue teams and preventing them from responding to all emergency calls.
The Civil Defense called on the International Civil Defence Organization (ICDO) and the international community to urgently provide firefighting equipment, rescue vehicles, and emergency supplies, while pressing Israel to allow their entry into Gaza so rescue crews can continue saving civilian lives.
