Jerusalem, Dec 7 (EFE).- The death toll in the Gaza Strip has surpassed 17,000 since the start of the war between Hamas and Israel. Meanwhile, Israel continues its offensive, which began more than two months ago and is now focused on the southern part of the Gaza Strip.
The number of wounded has exceeded 46,000, according to the Gazan authorities. Humanitarian organizations continue to warn of a humanitarian crisis that's getting worse each day.
In addition, the violence does not stop in the area between Lebanon and Israel either, with continuous projectile launches by Hezbollah from Lebanese territory to which Israeli forces respond.
Hundreds of dead and wounded within hours
Since the outbreak of the conflict in Gaza on Oct. 7, at least 17,177 people have been confirmed dead in the enclave, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
In the last 24 hours alone, Israeli bombardment killed more than 350 and wounded some 900, the ministry, controlled by the Islamist group Hamas, said.
However, due to the continuous bombardment and communication disruptions, it is “difficult to count the dead and wounded.”
In its offensive on southern Gaza, centered on the city of Khan Yunis, the Israeli army attacked dozens of Palestinian militia targets. It also continued its operations in other parts of the Gaza Strip, such as the Jabalia refugee camp.
Israel claims to have eliminated “dozens of terrorists” in ground and air strikes in these and other parts of Gaza, as well as Hamas infrastructure and weapons hidden in places such as tunnels under schools.
Humanitarian crisis without borders
Hospitals in northern Gaza have been shut down, with “catastrophic consequences for the wounded,” according to Gaza officials.
“The hospitals continue to suffer from a severe fuel shortage,” warned Gaza Health Ministry.
And those who are still active in other parts of the Gaza Strip are facing a 206% occupation, they warned.
The Naser hospital in Khan Yunis has received a thousand wounded in the last few hours and is trying to treat them on the spot.
Non-governmental organizations, such as the Israeli B'Tselem, warned on Thursday of a humanitarian crisis without limits: “Starving” the population of Gaza “is a war crime.”
Nearly 1.9 million people are internally displaced in Gaza, about 80 percent of the population of about 2.3 million.
Many have fled to Rafah, the southernmost town in the enclave, where more camps are being set up, and people are sleeping in the streets due to a lack of space in schools.
Tension with Lebanon
In addition to the war in Gaza, Israel continues to warn against the Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah.
On Thursday, an anti-tank missile fired from Lebanon killed a man in northern Israel, in one of the attacks to which Israeli forces responded with aircraft, tanks and artillery.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned: “If Hezbollah decides to launch an all-out war,” Israel will make “Beirut and southern Lebanon” look like “Gaza and Khan Younis.” EFE
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