DaysofPal– At least 39 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli air strikes over the past 24 hours, raising the death toll from 18 months of war to 51,240, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
In a statement released on Sunday, the ministry also reported that 62 people were admitted to hospitals for injuries, bringing the total number of wounded to 116,931 since the conflict began.
“Many victims are still trapped under the rubble and on the roads as rescuers are unable to reach them,” the ministry warned, highlighting the continuing dangers faced by civilians amidst ongoing air raids.
Local sources reported that four people were killed and several others injured following an Israeli air strike on a home in Bani Suhaila, east of Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip. This latest strike brings the death toll in Khan Younis alone to seven since dawn on Monday.
In another tragic incident, a Palestinian man and his wife were killed when an Israeli drone targeted a tent sheltering them in the Mawasi area, west of Khan Younis. As air strikes continue across the enclave, humanitarian organizations are raising alarm over the worsening situation on the ground.
Dr. Hanan Balkhi, Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean at the World Health Organization (WHO), said that the organization has been unable to deliver essential medical equipment into Gaza since March. She emphasized the urgency of reopening the crossings to allow aid to reach those in need.
“The health situation in the Gaza Strip is alarming,” Balkhi said. “Gazans are suffering from all kinds of epidemics, chronic diseases, and injuries.” She issued a direct appeal to the international community, urging quick and urgent action to open humanitarian corridors.
In a related development, an American-Palestinian medical team seeking to deliver aid to Gaza reported that the Israeli military blocked their entry into the Strip, despite having granted initial approval 10 days prior. A doctor from the “Palestinian-American Communication Bridge” team stated that the group had arrived in Jordan in anticipation of their entry, only to be denied access at the last minute.
“We were surprised by the Israeli army’s refusal,” the doctor said, noting that the team had previously entered Gaza in January and July to provide much-needed medical assistance.
Since the outbreak of the war on October 7, 2023, Israel has continued its military campaign in Gaza with the full backing of the United States. The ongoing offensive has left over 168,000 Palestinians either dead or wounded, most of them women and children, and more than 11,000 remain missing.
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