Aggression on Gaza enters 196th day

Palestine

Published: 2024-04-19 10:51

Last Updated: 2024-05-02 07:34


Elderly woman cries in Gaza Strip
Elderly woman cries in Gaza Strip

The ongoing Israeli Occupation aggression against the Gaza Strip has persisted for 196 days, marked by relentless and indiscriminate airstrikes targeting various areas in the besieged territory.

These attacks, encompassing bombings and other forms of violence, have inflicted widespread suffering, characterized by a genocidal campaign and the imposition of starvation tactics.

Recent hours have seen intensified airstrikes across Gaza, with Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) extending their military activities into the Central Governorate, reaching the eastern vicinity of Deir al-Balah camp.

Ashraf Al-Qudra, spokesperson for the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza, has highlighted deliberate efforts by the Israeli Occupation to dismantle the region's healthcare system, particularly in Gaza and its northern areas. Al-Qudra lamented the loss of essential medical personnel, particularly in oncology and kidney care, underscoring the dire situation where over 730,000 individuals lack access to adequate healthcare services. The destruction of the Shifa Medical Complex has further exacerbated the healthcare crisis in Gaza.

Al-Qudra emphasized the urgent need for surgical field hospitals with comprehensive facilities to cater to the increasing number of wounded and ill individuals in Gaza.

In contrast, Israeli Occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed concerns of famine in Gaza, despite more than six months of sustained aggression leading to the heightened risk of starvation for approximately 2.2 million Gazans. Netanyahu's denial contradicts warnings from relief organizations and the United Nations, which have repeatedly cautioned about the imminent threat of famine due to the ongoing aggression.

Netanyahu rebuffed assertions of famine during discussions with the foreign ministers of Britain and Germany, rejecting claims made by international organizations. Meanwhile, reports from the World Food Program indicate severe malnutrition and dehydration among children and infants in northern Gaza, resulting in fatalities, exacerbated by the occupation's obstruction of relief efforts.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza has reported a grim toll of 33,970 fatalities and 76,770 injuries since the commencement of the aggression last October, underscoring the devastating impact of the prolonged aggression on the people of Gaza.

 

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