Israeli Strikes Kill Over 90 In Gaza In 48 Hours; UN Warns Of ‘Worst Humanitarian Crisis’ In The Region

More than 90 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes across Gaza in the last 48 hours, Gaza’s Health Ministry said on Saturday, as Israeli forces intensified their offensive against Hamas. The surge in attacks is aimed at pressuring the group to release remaining hostages and disarm. 

Among the dead are 15 people killed overnight, including women and children who, according to hospital staff, were sheltering in a designated humanitarian zone, news agency AP reported.

At least 11 people died in the southern city of Khan Younis, several of them inside a tent in the Mwasi area, where hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians have taken refuge. The area had been marked by Israeli authorities as a humanitarian zone, as per AP's report. Additionally, four people, including a mother and her daughter, were killed in separate strikes in Rafah city. Their bodies were taken to the European Hospital, according to hospital sources.

The ongoing war erupted after the Hamas-led assault on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, which left about 1,200 people dead—mostly civilians—and resulted in the abduction of 251 individuals. While most hostages have since been released through ceasefire agreements and other arrangements, the conflict has shown no signs of abating.

Over 51,000 Palestinians Killed So Far, UN Flags ‘Worst Humanitarian Crisis’ In The Region

According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, more than 51,000 Palestinians have been killed so far, the majority of whom are women and children. The ministry does not differentiate between civilians and combatants in its casualty reports. The relentless fighting has decimated large swathes of Gaza, crippling its food production systems and displacing nearly 90% of the population, as per the report. Many are now surviving in makeshift tent camps and damaged buildings.

Meanwhile, international aid groups have raised alarms over Israel’s blockade of Gaza. The United Nations has reported that the territory has been cut off from food and essential supplies for more than six weeks. Thousands of children are now malnourished, and most residents are surviving on barely one meal a day as resources continue to dwindle.

The U.N. humanitarian office, known as OCHA, has stated that nearly all of Gaza’s over 2 million population now relies on charity kitchens that can only provide 1 million meals a day. These mainly include rice or pasta without fresh vegetables or meat.

Other food distribution programs have closed down due to supply shortages, while the U.N. and other aid groups have been providing their remaining stocks to the charity kitchens.

In markets where food can be found in Gaza, prices are rising as shortages are widespread. Fresh foods are reportedly nearly non-existent. In this scenario, humanitarian aid is the primary food source for 80% of the population, the World Food Program said in its monthly report for April, as per AP.

“The Gaza Strip is now likely facing the worst humanitarian crisis in the 18 months” since the war began, OCHA stated.

 

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