Israeli strikes over the past 48 hours have left at least 92 people dead, with many of the casualties reportedly among those seeking refuge in makeshift tents, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
From 17 to 19 April, at least 219 individuals were injured and hospitalized in the strikes, while numerous others remain trapped beneath debris or in locations that rescuers have yet to access.
While victims seek medical attention in hospitals, only a few medical centres remain. On 13 April, Al Ahli Hospital ceased operations following an evacuation order and subsequent attack, as reported by the World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, on a social media post.
The Director-General explained that the facility sustained severe damage, including the destruction of its emergency room, laboratory, X-ray equipment, and pharmacy. While 50 patients were transferred to other medical centers, 40 in critical condition remained behind, and the hospital remains unable to admit new patients until essential repairs are completed.
On the following day, airstrikes struck a UN warehouse in Gaza City and a community food distribution site supported by humanitarian partners in Khan Younis.
The attacks came as the United Nations (UN) Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warned that the humanitarian crisis in Gaza has reached its most severe point since the conflict began 18 months ago.
The situation is worsened by the ban on humanitarian aid at Gaza’s border crossings for the past month and a half, the longest suspension since the conflict began. Nonetheless, the continued blockade is in alignment with Israel’s vow to maintain its blockade on essential humanitarian supplies, including food, medicine, fuel, and cooking oil, from entering Gaza, according to Israel Katz, Israeli Defense Minister.
With hundreds of thousands facing the threat of hunger, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) issued an urgent appeal, emphasizing that “Gaza needs food now.”
According to OCHA, approximately 70 percent of the Gaza Strip is now designated as either under evacuation orders or classified as “no-go” zones, where humanitarian access is restricted and requires prior coordination with Israeli authorities.
Since the war on Gaza began 18 months ago, Gaza’s Health Ministry reports 51,065 Palestinian deaths and 116,505 injuries.
While the remains of 76 percent of Palestinians killed during the conflict have been retrieved and transported to medical facilities, an estimated 14,222 individuals, however, are still believed to be buried beneath the rubble or located in areas unreachable by rescue teams, the head of Gaza’s Government Information Office announced.
Nadine Tag
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