Gaza Crisis: Over 38,900 Dead as Humanitarian Conditions Worsen
On Monday, the Israeli army ordered the evacuation of a portion of the Gaza Strip designated as a humanitarian zone.
The army announced its intention to commence an operation against Hamas militants who have infiltrated this area and used it to launch rockets at Israel. This zone includes the eastern part of the Muwasi humanitarian area, located in the southern Gaza Strip, according to AP.
Many Palestinians have been compelled to relocate multiple times in search of safety during Israel's air and ground campaign.
Earlier this month, Israel estimated that at least 1.8 million Palestinians are currently within the humanitarian zone it has declared, which extends approximately 14 kilometres along the Mediterranean coast. Much of this area is now occupied by tent camps lacking sanitary and medical facilities and facing limited access to aid, according to the UN and humanitarian organisations. Families are living amidst piles of garbage and watercourses contaminated with sewage.
This announcement was made amidst delicate ceasefire negotiations in Gaza, with American and Israeli officials expressing hope that an agreement is nearer than ever. The Prime Minister's office stated that a team of negotiators would be sent on Thursday to continue the discussions. Egypt, Qatar, and the United States are exerting pressure on both Israel and Hamas to reach a phased ceasefire agreement that would halt the fighting and facilitate the release of hostages.
On Monday morning, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu departed for a long-awaited visit to the United States to meet with President Joe Biden, who announced on Sunday that he would not seek re-election, and to address Congress. Netanyahu stated that, regardless of who becomes the next U.S. president, "our enemies must know that Israel and the United States stand together now and always." He also mentioned that he would thank Biden for over 40 years of friendship while pressing him for additional support on certain issues.
The conflict in Gaza has resulted in over 38,900 deaths, according to the local Ministry of Health, which does not differentiate between combatants and civilians in its count. The conflict began with a Hamas militant attack on southern Israel on October 7, which resulted in the deaths of 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and approximately 250 hostages taken. Israeli authorities report that around 120 hostages remain in captivity, with a third of them believed to be deceased.
The Israeli army reported on Monday that it continues to operate in central and southern Gaza. On Sunday, Israeli airstrikes killed at least 15 people, including women and children, in Gaza, according to hospital officials and a death count by an Associated Press journalist.
The already precarious humanitarian conditions in besieged Gaza have worsened with the discovery of the poliovirus, as water and sewage services have deteriorated for the 2.3 million people in the territory, most of whom are displaced. Traces of the virus have been detected in sewage samples from Gaza. The World Health Organization reported that no cases of the disease have been treated thus far.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
