The death toll for Palestinians in Gaza has risen now to at least 900 people, with an additional 4,500 people injured, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, as Israel continues to bombard the enclave with air strikes.
The killed include 260 children and 200 women.
Israel has also cut water and electricity supplies to Gaza, worsening the blockaded enclave’s already dire humanitarian situation. Home to nearly 2.2 million people, Gaza has already been reeling under a crippling Israeli siege since 2007.
The situation escalated with a Saturday surprise attack from Palestinian resistance group Hamas in Gaza on southern Israeli towns. Israel retaliated with massive air strikes in Gaza and placed the enclave under total blockade.
Palestine has accused Israel of using phosphorus incendiary weapons in bombing populated areas in besiged Gaza.
“The Israeli occupation is using internationally banned white phosphorus bombs against the Palestinians in the Karama neighbourhood in northern Gaza,” the Palestinian Foreign Ministry said on X platform.
At least 200,000 Palestinians have been displaced in Gaza amid ongoing Israeli air strikes, the UN humanitarian office said.
“In Gaza, at least 200,000 of the 2.2 million residents have been displaced after fleeing for fear of their lives or their houses were destroyed by airstrikes,” the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Israeli officials estimate that more than 1,200 Israelis were killed in Hamas attacks on towns near Gaza.
Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper reported on Tuesday that Tel Aviv officials believe that over 200 Israelis were taken captive by Hamas in Gaza. The Israeli Health Ministry has yet to confirm the new toll.
The Israeli newspaper Haaretz had earlier reported that the Hamas attack had killed over 1,000 Israel.
