Jerusalem, Dec 16 (EFE).— The death toll in Gaza has surpassed 45,000 since the war began, with recent Israeli attacks adding dozens to the grim tally of over 14 months.
The health ministry of the Hamas-governed enclave Monday said the increasing death toll due to the relentless bombings have compounded a humanitarian crisis that leaves nearly one million Palestinians at risk as winter sets in.
In the past 24 hours alone, Gaza’s morgues have received 52 new corpses, while 203 Palestinians were reported injured in Israeli attacks.
Since the conflict erupted over 14 months ago, 45,028 people have been killed and 106,962 injured, according to health authorities.
An estimated 11,000 people remain missing and are believed to be buried under the rubble of the building razed by Israeli air strikes.
One of the deadliest recent attacks targeted a school in Khan Yunis, in southern Gaza, where at least 20 bodies were recovered.
The Israeli army confirmed the overnight airstrike but reiterated accusations that Hamas uses civilians as “human shields,” without providing a specific casualty figure.
Elsewhere, seven more deaths were reported in northern and central Gaza following Israeli airstrikes, according to the Palestinian news agency Wafa.
Meanwhile, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) warned that nearly one million Palestinians face the arrival of winter without proper shelter, raising the risk of hypothermia and other life-threatening conditions.
“Hundreds of thousands of displaced families are enduring the winter cold and rain without meaningful protection,” said Jeroen Quanjer, NRC’s shelter supervisor.
“Israeli authorities’ repeated denial of essential shelter materials prevents us from scaling up our response to build emergency shelters that can withstand Gaza’s winter conditions.”
Between September and November, only 123 trucks carrying shelter-related aid entered Gaza, averaging just 10 trucks per week. Supplies such as tarps, plastic sheets, ropes, and adhesive tape have fallen woefully short of the needs of the displaced population.
The humanitarian crisis has worsened under Israel’s siege of northern Gaza, which began in early October and has displaced thousands to the southern regions.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is investigating reports that 1,500 Palestinians were forcibly moved from Beit Hanoun to Gaza City overnight.
An OCHA statement said that under international humanitarian law, the protection of civilians and their safe passage is fundamental. “Equally critical is ensuring that those fleeing or staying can access life-saving support.” EFE
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