DaysofPal – Israeli attacks have continued across the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank, even while global attention focuses on the regional conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran.
More than 72,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli attacks in Gaza since the war began on October 7, 2023, according to Palestinian health officials. Most of the victims are women and children. Large parts of the enclave have been devastated by bombardment.
Violence has also surged across the West Bank. Data from the Palestinian Ministry of Health shows that Israeli soldiers and settlers have killed more than 1,000 Palestinians there since the start of the Gaza war. Israeli occupation forces report that at least 45 Israelis, including soldiers and civilians, have been killed in Palestinian attacks or during military operations during the same period.
Gaza crossings closed and shortages worsen
The humanitarian situation in Gaza has deteriorated further following the closure of the Rafah Border Crossing with Egypt on March 1. Israel’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories said the decision was part of security measures connected to the regional war.
The crossing serves as a crucial route for humanitarian aid and medical evacuations. Its closure has heightened fears of worsening shortages in the territory.
Residents have rushed to markets to buy food and other supplies, worried that the restrictions could deepen an already severe humanitarian crisis. Ali al-Hayek, a member of the Palestinian Businessmen Association, warned that shutting the crossings could halt aid distribution and disrupt charity kitchens that provide meals to thousands of families.
The United Nations has urged Israel to reopen Gaza’s crossings. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for the resumption of humanitarian access. Israeli authorities later said the Kerem Shalom Crossing would reopen for the gradual entry of aid.
Violence has continued inside the enclave. An Israeli drone strike in Khan Younis killed a father and his daughter. Another attack in the same area later that day killed one person and injured a girl.
Gaza residents also face a prolonged shortage of cooking gas and fuel that began early in the war. Local officials and UN agencies say the quantities entering the territory remain far below the population’s needs.
A new report by Amnesty International highlights the growing hardships faced by women in Gaza. The group said Palestinian women have been denied conditions necessary for safe childbirth and basic healthcare. Pregnant women and patients with serious illnesses struggle to access adequate medical services.
Escalation across the West Bank
Israeli occupation forces have continued enforcing restrictions across the West Bank. Authorities kept the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound closed to worshippers in occupied Jerusalem and cancelled Friday prayers.
Israeli troops also carried out a raid in Askar Refugee Camp, sealing its entrances and searching homes.
Settler violence has intensified across rural communities. On March 2, settlers shot and killed two Palestinian brothers in the village of Qaryut, located near Duma.
Another attack on Saturday resulted in the death of Palestinian resident Amir Muhammad Shanaran in Masafer Yatta, according to the WAFA News Agency.
Additional attacks followed in the village of Khirbet Abu Falah, northeast of Ramallah, where settlers shot and killed two residents. A third Palestinian died later after inhaling tear gas fired by Israeli forces that accompanied the settlers.
Reports also indicated that debris from a missile damaged a house in the town of Biddya in the northern West Bank.
Israeli occupation forces tightened movement restrictions in several areas. Entrances to towns in the Ramallah and Nablus regions were closed, while military checkpoints around Nablus were reinforced.
Settler attacks on property continued as well. According to local reports, settlers set fire to a poultry farm in Bethlehem, causing damage to agricultural facilities in the area.
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