GAZA CITY: The Ministry of Health in Gaza reported on Friday that at least 43,259 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have died in the ongoing Israeli bombardment since October 7, 2023.
The toll includes 55 deaths in the last 24 hours, according to the ministry, which said 101,827 people have been injured in the Gaza Strip in Israel’s war against Hamas.
In a devastating overnight airstrike, 47 Palestinians lost their lives, with many more injured, including numerous children and women, in the central Gaza Strip, particularly in Deir Al-Balah, the Nuseirat camp, and Al-Zawayda.
In light of these developments, the health ministry in Gaza has called upon international organizations to safeguard hospitals and medical personnel from the violence that has engulfed the region. Medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has also raised alarms over the safety of its staff, citing the detention of a doctor amid the chaos. The humanitarian crisis continues to worsen as violence escalates, prompting urgent calls for intervention and protection of civilians.
Meanwhile, the humanitarian situation in Gaza has deteriorated, with the UN’s food agencies warning of a potential famine. The World Food Programme and Food and Agriculture Organization highlighted Gaza, Sudan, South Sudan, Mali, and Haiti as “hunger hotspots” requiring urgent intervention from November 2024 to May 2025.
Gaza’s population, already reeling from the conflict, faces extreme hunger, with 41% expected to be at “emergency” levels of food insecurity, while 345,000 may experience “catastrophic” hunger, according to UN projections.
