Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip since Hamas's attack on southern Israeli civilians eight days ago have killed at least 2,329 people, the Hamas-controlled health ministry said Sunday.
It said 9,042 people have also been injured, giving an overall toll as of 7:47am Sunday as Israel continued its blistering retaliatory air campaign on targets in Gaza.
Meanwhile, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) said its shelters in Gaza “are not safe anymore”, calling it “unprecedented” as it warns water running out for besieged enclave’s residents.
“Wars have rules. Civilians, hospitals, schools, clinics and UN premises cannot be a target,” UNWRA said in a statement.
UN aid Chief Martin Griffiths, in his latest statement on the conflict, reflected on a “dreadful week” in which “humanity is failing”.
“I fear the worst is yet come,” he said, adding that in Gaza, there is “no power, no water and no fuel”, food supplies were running low, hospitals are “running our medicine”, and “morgues are overflowing”.
Gaza health officials demanded the urgent opening of corridors to evacuate the wounded abroad due to the “catastrophic” situation inside the besieged enclave.
Meanwhile, Israel pressed on Sunday with preparations for a ground offensive in Gaza, after giving Palestinians a little more time to flee northern areas it has vowed to target in response to the deadliest attack in its history.
Israel has warned around 1.1 million Gazans living in the north of the Palestinian territory to flee to the south ahead of a ground incursion which the military has indicated will focus on Gaza City, the base of the leadership of the Hamas fighter group.-AFP
