GAZA CITY: The health ministry in the Gaza Strip has reported that the death toll in the Palestinian territory has surpassed 21,320 people, with the majority being women and children, in ongoing Israeli bombardments since October 7.
During a televised press conference on Thursday, Gaza health ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra said that more than 55,603 persons have been wounded in the ongoing Israeli attacks, emphasizing the severe humanitarian crisis unfolding in the besieged Strip. Over the past 24 hours alone, at least 210 people were killed, including entire families, according to the health ministry.
The statement from the health ministry expressed grave concerns about the deteriorating conditions, highlighting the alarming spread of diseases among children and the acute shortage of water, food, and medicine in Gaza. The situation was described as catastrophic for the displaced population, necessitating urgent international attention and intervention.
Amid the relentless Israeli attacks, health officials called for the protection of medical facilities in Gaza, specifically pointing out the repeated targeting of the vicinity of Nasser Hospital and Al-Amal Hospital, affiliated with the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, in the southern city of Khan Younis.
Earlier on Thursday, the Red Crescent voiced apprehensions regarding the intensification of deadly strikes near Al-Amal Hospital, expressing fears that it could be a prelude to a direct targeting of the medical facility.
Meanwhile, Israeli army spokesman Daniel Hagari confirmed the deployment of an additional brigade to Khan Younis, underscoring the intensity of the military campaign. More than 80% of Gaza’s 2.4 million residents have been forcibly displaced, living in overcrowded shelters or makeshift tents, facing dire conditions.
WHO Calls for Urgent Measures to Address Grave Peril Faced by Gaza Residents
The World Health Organization (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus issued a stark warning, calling for urgent measures to address the grave peril faced by Gaza’s people. He highlighted the alarming prevalence of terrible injuries, acute hunger, and a severe risk of disease among the civilian population.
French President Emmanuel Macron expressed his deep concern over the heavy civilian toll in a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Macron stressed the imperative need to work towards a lasting ceasefire, according to a statement from Macron’s office.
Meanwhile, the United Nations raised alarms about the rapidly deteriorating human rights situation in the occupied West Bank. The international organization urged Israel to stop unlawful killings targeting the Palestinian population. A UN report released on Thursday demanded an immediate halt to the use of military weapons and tactics during law enforcement operations, an end to arbitrary detentions and ill-treatment of Palestinians, and the lifting of discriminatory movement restrictions.
UN rights chief Volker Turk expressed profound concern about the intensity of the violence and repression, stating that such levels have not been witnessed in years. The report focused on the human rights situation in the occupied West Bank and annexed East Jerusalem since October 7.
