More than 8,700 Palestinians have been killed in the war, mostly women and minors, and more than 22,000 people have been wounded, the Palestinian Health Ministry said Wednesday. The figure is without precedent in decades of Israeli-Palestinian violence.
Quick Read
Casualties and Developments in Gaza Conflict:
- Casualty Figures:
- Over 8,700 Palestinians killed, mainly women and minors; more than 22,000 wounded.
- On the Israeli side, over 1,400 fatalities, predominantly civilians.
- Military Actions:
- Israeli military reports 11 soldiers killed since ground operations began.
- Troops may be attempting to control main roads in Gaza.
- Displacement:
- Approximately 800,000 Palestinians have fled south, with many still in northern areas.
- Humanitarian Aid:
- Israel permitted entry of over 200 trucks with aid from Egypt, but shortages persist.
- Evacuations:
- Some foreign passport holders and injured Palestinians were allowed to leave Gaza.
- Infrastructure and Services:
- Widespread communications blackouts reported, with slow restoration of services.
- The only cancer treatment facility in Gaza shut down due to fuel shortages.
The Associated Press has the story:
Palestinian Health: Death toll rises to 8,700 & more than 22K injured
Newslooks- GAZA (AP)
More than 8,700 Palestinians have been killed in the war, mostly women and minors, and more than 22,000 people have been wounded, the Palestinian Health Ministry said Wednesday. The figure is without precedent in decades of Israeli-Palestinian violence.
Over 1,400 people have died on the Israeli side, mainly civilians killed during Hamas’ initial attack, also an unprecedented figure. Palestinian militants also abducted around 240 people during their incursion and have continued firing rockets into Israel.
The Israeli military confirmed Wednesday that nine soldiers have been killed in fighting in northern Gaza, bringing the total number of soldiers killed since the start of the ground operation to 11.
Israel has been vague about its operations in Gaza, but residents and spokesmen for militant groups say troops appear to be trying to take control of the two main north-south roads.
An estimated 800,000 Palestinians have fled south from Gaza City and other northern areas following Israeli orders to evacuate, but hundreds of thousands remain in the north.
Israel has allowed international aid groups to send more than 200 trucks carrying food and medicine to enter from Egypt over the past 10 days, but aid workers say it’s not nearly enough.
Hundreds of dual passport holders and dozens of seriously injured Palestinians were allowed to leave Gaza on Wednesday after more than three weeks under siege, while Israeli airstrikes destroyed apartments in a densely populated area for the second straight day.
Those who remain behind are contending with multiple crises, made worse Wednesday by the communications blackout. The Palestinian telecoms company Paltel said internet and mobile phone services were gradually being restored in Gaza following a “complete disruption” that lasted several hours.
Internet-access advocacy group NetBlocks.org attributed both disruptions to “measures imposed by Israel.” Alp Toker, the director the group, said “service remains significantly below pre-war levels.”
The International Committee of the Red Cross said such blackouts make it harder for civilians to seek safety. “Even the potentially life-saving act of calling an ambulance becomes impossible,” said Jessica Moussan, an ICRC spokesperson.
The Palestinian Health Ministry, meanwhile, said that the Turkish-Palestinian Hospital, Gaza’s only facility offering specialized treatment for cancer patients, was forced to shut down because of lack of fuel, leaving 70 cancer patients in a critical situation.
