Title: Gaza death toll exceeds 13,000 as humanitarian crisis deepens
The situation in Gaza has reached a critical point as the death toll continues to rise and the humanitarian crisis deepens. Gaza authorities have reported at least 13,300 Palestinians killed since 7 October, including 5,600 children and 3,550 women.
Israeli forces have intensified their offensive against Hamas in northern Gaza, with reports of an Indonesian hospital being targeted in the attacks. The World Health Organization (WHO) expressed shock and dismay at the loss of life, including patients, in the shelling of the hospital. The humanitarian organization warned that health services in Gaza have suffered catastrophic damage, leading to a growing public health crisis in the besieged enclave.
The medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) also reported an attack on one of its clinics in Gaza City, further exacerbating the dire situation. Meanwhile, the head of the WHO led a joint operation to rescue premature babies from al-Shifa hospital and transfer them to Egypt for urgent medical care.
Tensions between Israel and Hamas are escalating, with talks of a potential deal involving the release of hostages and a limited ceasefire. On the other hand, families of Israeli hostages have clashed with far-right politicians over the proposal to impose the death penalty on captured Hamas members.
The conflict has garnered international attention, with the UN Secretary General condemning the killing of civilians in Gaza as unparalleled and unprecedented. Relief efforts are underway as a new field hospital is being set up in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis, while Yemen’s Houthi rebels claim to have seized an Israeli cargo ship in the Red Sea.
The situation in Gaza remains highly volatile, with escalating violence and a deepening humanitarian crisis. The international community continues to call for an end to the conflict and a sustainable path towards peace.