The Ministry of Health in Gaza announced that the death toll from the Israeli war on the Strip had risen to 24,620, confirming chronic diseases due to overcrowding and poor personal hygiene in places of displacement, while the Government Information Office announced that the number of martyrs of journalists had risen to 119.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza confirmed on Thursday that the death toll from the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip, which has been ongoing since October 7, 2023, has risen to 24,620 martyrs and 61,830 injured.
The ministry stated in a statement that “the toll of the Israeli aggression rose to 24,620 martyrs and 61,830 injured” since last October 7.
She explained that "the Israeli occupation committed 15 massacres against families in the Gaza Strip, killing 172 martyrs and 326 injured, during the past 24 hours."
She revealed that there are still "a number of victims under the rubble and on the roads, and ambulance and civil defense crews cannot reach them."
Chronic diseases
The Ministry also announced, in its statement, that it had officially recorded “more than 8,000 cases of viral hepatitis A infection as a result of overcrowding and low levels of personal hygiene in places of displacement.”
It is likely that "the number of hepatitis C infections will double in the various places of displacement in the Gaza Strip."
She added that "the Israeli occupation has deliberately targeted 150 health institutions and 122 ambulances" since the beginning of the war, announcing that "30 hospitals and 53 health centers have been out of service."
Gaza Health also confirmed that hundreds of cases of miscarriage and premature birth were recorded as a result of panic and forced flight, in addition to the lack of health care in places of displacement, and the difficulty of reaching hospitals.
She pointed out that these deteriorating health conditions "put the lives of about 60,000 pregnant women at risk and the risk of pregnancy complications."
The Ministry warned of "the serious repercussions of running out of nitrous gas (one of the gaseous anesthetics used in surgical operations) in operating rooms," which puts the lives of hundreds of injured people at risk.
She pointed out that "350,000 chronic patients, including 10,000 cancer patients, face serious health complications as a result of the unavailability of medicines and their lack of entry into the Gaza Strip."
On Wednesday evening, the Qatari Foreign Ministry announced the entry of a shipment of medicines and aid into the Gaza Strip, as part of an agreement concluded between Israel and Hamas, allowing medicines to reach Palestinians and Israeli detainees.
Martyrs of journalists
In this context, the government media office in Gaza announced that the number of journalists killed by the Israeli occupation army since the beginning of its war on the Strip had risen to 119 journalists.
The office reported, in a statement, that the number of journalist martyrs had risen to 119 since the start of the genocidal war, after the ascension of “our colleague Wael Abu Fununa, Director General of Al-Quds Satellite Channel.”
The government office in Gaza and Palestinian human rights organizations have repeatedly accused the Israeli occupation army of “deliberately” targeting Palestinian journalists during the war to prevent the reporting of “crimes” committed in Gaza.
Former Israeli Defense Minister: Hamas once again controls northern Gaza, and this is frustrating
Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon revealed his frustration about Hamas regaining control over northern Gaza, expressing his regret for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's policies towards the ongoing war in the Strip.
Former Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon on Thursday criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the Gaza war, and expressed his "frustration" about Hamas regaining control over the northern Gaza Strip.
Ya'alon made statements to the Hebrew newspaper Maariv, during which he revealed his feeling of regret for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's policies regarding the course of the war that has been going on for more than 3 months.
He stated, "The current generation of Israeli soldiers performs a very professional job, and there is no more difficult area to fight in than a residential area (in the Gaza Strip), but Hamas once again controls the northern Gaza Strip, and this is a tremendous frustration."
He said that Netanyahu "sacrifices" the kidnapped Israelis in the Gaza Strip in order to "stay in power."
He added: "Now it has become clear that he (Netanyahu) is sacrificing the kidnappers in order to remain in power. I feel sorry for us."
Ya'alon noted that Netanyahu's political considerations "negatively affect" the way the war on Gaza is managed, which has been ongoing since October 7, 2023.
He continued: “The army wants to move against Hamas, but the question is: What does the political level want (referring to Netanyahu)?”
Defense Minister Yoav Galant announced on Monday the end of ground operations in northern Gaza, but Israeli forces returned and penetrated into a number of areas in the northern Gaza Strip, and are still continuing battles and clashes with Palestinian resistance elements.
In recent days, Israeli media reported disagreements within the government regarding ways to return detainees from the Gaza Strip.
Hebrew Channel 13 revealed on Wednesday evening that Israeli ministers, whom it did not name, “drafted, in recent days, the broad outlines of a proposal that could ultimately lead to a deal to release Israeli detainees held by Hamas,” but Netanyahu hardened his position and rejected this move in the end. Because of Hamas's requirement to stop the war.
The Israeli left-wing Labor Party also announced on Wednesday evening that it would submit to the Knesset (Parliament) a motion of no confidence in the Netanyahu government due to its inability to return detainees in the Gaza Strip.