The Palestinian Health Ministry has reported the death toll due to Israeli military operations during the yearlong conflict in Gaza has exceeded 43,000, with more than half the casualties being women and children.
The toll, revealed on Monday, includes 96 people who succumbed to their injuries over the past two days.
Israeli forces have intensified their operations in northern Gaza over the past few weeks, including a raid on Kamal Adwan Hospital in Beit Lahiya over the weekend.
The Israeli military claimed to have detained 100 suspected Hamas militants during this operation, which has drawn widespread criticism after Israeli personnel were accused of targeting civilians.
Palestinians gather in a morgue with the bodies of their relatives killed in Israeli airstrikes in the city of Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Oct. 25, 2024. The number of Palestinians killed in the yearlong war in Gaza has passed 43,000, more than half them women and children, the Palestinian Health Ministry said.
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Israel: Hamas Uses Hospitals as Military Bases
The World Health Organization condemned Israel for detaining 44 male hospital staff during the raid, while Palestinian medical officials reported substantial damage to the hospital, which was treating around 200 patients at the time, many of them suffering from serious illnesses and injuries.
Israel has conducted multiple raids on hospitals throughout the conflict, alleging Hamas and other militant groups utilize these facilities for military operations.
However, Palestinian officials strongly deny these claims, accusing the Israeli military of recklessly endangering civilian lives.
An Israeli military source, speaking anonymously, confirmed heavy fighting occurred around the hospital, but denied that any action took place within the facility itself.
The Israeli source stated that weapons were discovered inside, prompting the detention and search of medical staff, as some militants reportedly disguised themselves as health care workers.
Palestinians gather near a building destroyed by Israeli airstrikes in the city of Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Oct. 25, 2024. Israel has raided several hospitals in Gaza over the course of the yearlong war, saying Hamas and other militants use them for military purposes.
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Humanitarian Crisis
The Israeli military also claimed to have assisted international organizations in relocating 88 patients and medical personnel to other hospitals prior to the raid.
The Israeli military asserted that during the operation, its personnel delivered 30,000 liters of fuel and medical supplies to help maintain the hospital’s functionality.
As Israeli forces continue their large-scale offensive in northern Gaza, the military has urged civilians to evacuate the area, asserting that operations in the northern city of Jabaliya will persist for “several more weeks.”
The United Nations has indicated that around 400,000 people remain in northern Gaza, where humanitarian aid has drastically reduced, exacerbating the dire situation.
Gaza: Women and Children Killed
The Gaza Health Ministry’s report indicated that at least 43,020 people have been killed and over 100,000 wounded since the conflict began on Oct. 7, 2023. The report did not distinguish between militants and civilians.
The Israel-Hamas war started after militants from Iran-backed Hamas breached Israel’s security fence on Oct. 7, launching an attack that resulted in the deaths of around 1,200 people, mainly civilians, and the abduction of 250 individuals.
Since this time Hezbollah, also backed by Iran, fired rockets from Lebanon at Israel in solidarity with Hamas in Gaza. Last month Israel detonated explosives that were placed in pager devices belonging to Hezbollah members, killing over 30 people and wounding thousands.
Over the past month Israel has also carried out the killings of several senior Hamas, Hezbollah and Iranian commanders while conducting ground and air operations in Lebanon and continuing to strike Gaza.
A ceasefire was proposed by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi on Sunday, but so far Israel and Hamas are yet to comment.
This article contains additional reporting from The Associated Press
