As reported by UN News, the war between Gaza and Israel entered its fifth month last Wednesday, leaving 27,585 Palestinians dead and nearly 70,000 wounded.
The UN's top humanitarian official welcomed early indications of a 'potential breakthrough' in negotiations for a ceasefire and the release of all remaining hostages.
This is potentially a positive news because there has been talk of a long pause (in the fighting) to allow the release of Palestinian hostages and prisoners but, at the same time, OCHA reports continued 'intense shelling' across Gaza Strip during this past week, particularly in the town of Khan Younis.
“For over two weeks, heavy fighting continues to be reported near Nasser and Al Amal hospitals in Khan Younis, jeopardizing the safety of medical staff, the wounded and the sick as well as thousands of internally displaced persons seeking refuge at both hospitals,” OCHA said in its latest update on the crisis. Citing the local health authority, the situation update noted that Israeli forces had “intensified their siege” of Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, putting at risk “300 medical personnel, 450 wounded and some 10,000 displaced people seeking shelter in the hospital compound”.
After months of bombardment, three in four Gazans are now displaced.
More than half are children and all face acute shortages of food, water, shelter and medicine, UN humanitarians said. The UN agency assisting Palestine refugees (UNRWA) warned that attacks on schools hosting internally displaced people have continued.
UNRWA stated that at least 282 incidents have impacted UNRWA facilities sheltering displaced families, leaving 377 dead and 1,365 injured, since Israeli bombardment began in response to Hamas-led terror attacks on southern Israel on 7 October that left more than 1,200 Israeli and foreign nationals dead and over 250 taken hostage.
Moreover, according to Al-Jazeera, famine fears rise for 300,000 civilians surrounded and trapped by Israeli forces in northern Gaza.
The broadcaster reports a not-too-different total death toll since the beginning of the war: at least 27,708 dead and 67,147 wounded in Israeli attacks on Gaza since 7 October, and continues to report daily on the attacks taking place in the Strip and their impact on the civilian population.
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