Israel has escalated its airstrikes in the Gaza Strip, resulting in the destruction of residential buildings and devastating families. Witnesses report that dozens of people have been killed in airstrikes targeting leveled homes.
The rising death toll indicates that more lives will be lost in Gaza, as Israeli forces prepare for a ground invasion aimed at destroying Hamas. The ongoing fuel shortages and bombardment have forced the closure of medical facilities, according to Gaza officials.
Officials from the United States and other countries are concerned that the conflict could lead to a larger regional conflict.
This war, now in its 19th day, is the deadliest of the five Gaza wars for both sides. The Hamas-run Health Ministry reported on Tuesday that at least 5,791 Palestinians have been killed, including 704 in the past day, with 16,297 wounded. In the occupied West Bank, 96 Palestinians have been killed and 1,650 wounded since October 7.
The death toll figures provided by Hamas have not been independently verified by the Associated Press, which says it relies on information from hospital directors.
Israeli officials have stated that more than 1,400 people in Israel have been killed, the majority of them civilians who died during the initial Hamas attacks. Additionally, 222 people, including foreigners, were captured by Hamas and taken into Gaza. Four of those individuals have been released.
Recent Developments
Here’s what’s happening in the latest Israel-Hamas war:
– Israeli airstrikes hit several military sites in southern Syria, resulting in the deaths of eight soldiers and injuring seven others, according to Syrian state media. The strikes targeted the Daraa countryside and were launched from the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
– Australia has sent two additional air force transport jets to the Middle East as a precautionary measure in case its citizens need to be evacuated due to escalating hostilities.
– Credit rating agency Standard & Poor’s has changed its outlook on Israel’s credit rating to “negative” due to the ongoing war with Hamas in Gaza and the potential for a broader regional conflict.
– Canada’s defense minister states that the government does not believe Hamas would respect a cease-fire and supports “humanitarian pauses” to allow aid to reach Gaza safely.
– Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas and rejected calls for a cease-fire, asserting that the war in Gaza is not only Israel’s, but “the war of the free world.”
– French President Emmanuel Macron visited Israel to express support for the country in its war against Hamas, emphasizing Israel’s right to defend itself.
– Faith leaders in Marseille, France, held a gathering to call for peace in the Middle East, with Jewish, Muslim, and Christian leaders uniting for a moment of silence for the victims of the Israel-Hamas war.
– The New Jersey Air National Guard’s 119 Expeditionary Fighter Squadron has deployed to the Middle East, and the U.S. is preparing for an increase in violence in the region.
– The United Nations Health Agency has called for an immediate humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza to distribute fuel and essential health supplies to major hospitals in the area.
– A Palestinian woman injured in an airstrike has given birth to a healthy baby girl while being rushed to the hospital.
– A Hamas official has stated that the killings in Gaza are unprecedented, with over 5,700 people killed and 17,000 wounded, including medical personnel and children.
Please note that the death toll figures provided by Hamas have not been independently verified by the Associated Press.
