The Palestinian death toll in the Gaza Strip has risen to 50,609, with 115,063 injured, following nearly 18 months of Israeli military operations since October 7, 2023, according to Gaza health authorities on Friday.
In the past 24 hours alone, Israeli military operations claimed the lives of 86 people and left 287 others wounded, the authorities reported.
Since Israel resumed its military operations in Gaza on March 18, after a ceasefire collapsed, 1,249 Palestinians have been killed and 3,022 injured.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement on Friday that its forces continued operations in the northern Gaza Strip to strengthen control and expand the "security zone".
On Friday, Israeli airstrikes targeted Gaza City in northern Gaza, Rafah and Khan Younis in southern Gaza, and some other places, killing more than 30 people, according to Gaza health authorities. Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, said Friday that half of the living Israeli hostages are in areas that Israel has issued evacuation orders recently.
In a press statement, Abu Obeida, spokesperson for the al-Qassam Brigades, said the armed wing decided not to relocate the hostages from these areas but to keep them under strict security measures, warning that their lives are at risk.
If Israel is concerned about the lives of these hostages, it must immediately engage in serious negotiations to secure their evacuation or release, Obeida said.
Palestinian death toll in Gaza rises to 50,609
Palestinian death toll in Gaza rises to 50,609
Gaza's healthcare system is on the brink of collapse, as Israel continues its attacks and blocks the entry of humanitarian aid, with hospitals overwhelmed by a relentless influx of wounded civilians and many patients left untreated.
The situation in Gaza's hospitals is rapidly deteriorating into a catastrophe. Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital has become the primary center for hundreds of injured Palestinians in Gaza City, with every corner of the facility overwhelmed. Medical workers at the hospital have expressed their inability to cope with the growing number of patients flooding in from the daily Israeli strikes.
"Each airstrike on high-rise buildings or residential areas leaves hundreds of casualties. No hospital in Gaza can handle such numbers," said Tamer Sultan, a medical worker.
Amid the conflict, not only trauma patients but also chronically ill individuals are unable to access basic medical treatment. Medical workers warn that lives are being lost -- not just to bombs, but to the lack of essential care.
"My brother has been here for 20 days. He needs spinal surgery, but nothing has happened. He's in constant pain as the painkillers aren't working anymore," said Mahmoud Nasser, brother of a patient.
As the number of wounded continues to rise, Gaza's hospitals are running critically low on essential medicines and supplies. With no way to restock, health officials say the ability to treat even the most urgent cases is slipping away.
"The high number of injuries has led to massive consumption of medicines and supplies. With border crossings closed, we can't replenish stock, and this severe shortage means we can't properly treat patients and the wounded," said Alaa Helles, director of the Hospital Pharmacy Department at Gaza's Ministry of Health.
The International Committee of the Red Cross has issued a stark alert about the health crisis in Gaza, stating that the suspension of humanitarian aid has led to a dramatic shortage of medical supplies.
Gaza's healthcare system near collapse as Israeli attacks, aid blockade persist
