More than 140 Palestinians have been killed and 560 wounded in the Gaza Strip over the past day as a result of Israeli military operations in the enclave, the sector’s health ministry said on Thursday.
“Over the past day, the bodies of 144 people were taken to hospitals in Gaza, and another 560 were injured,” the ministry said in a statement. The total number of victims in the Gaza Strip since October 2023 has risen to 55,637, with 129,880 wounded, Palestinian medics added.
Last Thursday, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, the protection of civilians and the fulfilment of legal and humanitarian obligations towards Palestine.
On March 18, the Israel Defence Forces resumed strikes on the Gaza Strip. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu explained that the attacks were a consequence of Hamas’ refusal to accept the American plan to extend the ceasefire and release hostages. The official truce between Israel and Hamas ended on March 1, but fighting did not resume thanks to the efforts of mediators seeking to bring the parties back to the negotiating table to resolve the situation in the Gaza Strip.
According to the UN, up to 80% of the population of Gaza, home to 2.3 million people, has been forced to flee their homes due to the fighting. Many are forced to sleep in tents and temporary shelters in winter conditions. Gaza is facing acute shortages of food, water and medicine, and the local health system is in a critical state.
The ceasefire has allowed more trucks to deliver aid to the area, but the UN has said that this is still not enough to meet Gaza’s humanitarian needs.
