In the hospital of Beit Lahiya in northern Gaza, the humanitarian situation has reached a critical point. According to the health ministry, the injured are running out of essentials, adding to their suffering in a continuous Israeli military siege tightened since early October.
In its grim update, the ministry said at least 28 people were killed and 54 injured due to “four massacres against families” in a 24-hour period. It underlined that tens of victims are still under the rubble and on roads, which ambulance and civil defense teams could not reach.
This has now brought the cumulative death toll from more than 14 months of Israeli attacks on Gaza to 44,786; meanwhile, an estimated 1,139 people were killed in Israel during the October 7, 2023, assaults by the Palestinian armed group Hamas, along with the reported taking captive of more than 200 people.
In another incident, at least seven Palestinians were killed and several others injured when Israeli fighter jets struck a multistory residential building in the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza.
Sigrid Kaag, the United Nations’ humanitarian coordinator for Gaza, informed UNSC members of the catastrophic situation faced by civilians. Following the closed meeting in New York, Kaag described the situation as “very, very bleak,” pointing to the inhumane circumstances in which both young and elderly residents struggle to survive.
On the possible spillover effect of the Syrian conflict on Israel’s War in Gaza, Kaag just asserted her commitment to the cause of keeping the Gaza “on the map.” A ceasefire and unconditional release of hostages are hoped for so that more humanitarian aid could be delivered.
Meanwhile, reports from Israeli Channel 13 said Hamas has expressed interest in negotiating a ceasefire and a deal for captives, with Qatar playing a significant role in these discussions. Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani mentioned at the Doha Forum that “momentum is coming back” to ceasefire talks.
As the situation develops, the Israeli military has also attacked Syria 480 times since the recent change in the balance of power amongst Syrian opposition fighters. The Israeli forces have reportedly taken positions in a buffer zone in the Golan Heights, which has been condemned regionally. A second ceasefire between Israel and another party, Hezbollah in Lebanon, has remained largely in tact thus far.
