Fatalities in Gaza Increase as Israel Declares Extended Duration of Conflict

The health ministry of the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip reported on Wednesday that the death toll from the ongoing conflict with Israel has surpassed 21,000, with approximately two-thirds being women and children.

Israel intensified its air strikes and shelling on Gaza after the military chief indicated that the conflict, which has been ongoing since the attacks on October 7, is expected to continue for many more months. The southern Gaza city of Khan Yunis, a key battleground, witnessed intense urban combat, with the Israeli army claiming significant control over the northern parts of Gaza.

However, fierce battles also erupted around Gaza City in the north, and an air strike near Rafah, a city in the far south densely populated with internally displaced persons, injured 11 people.

The worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza has led to increased calls for a cessation of the conflict.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has firmly committed to continuing the offensive against Hamas, which is recognized as a terrorist organization by both the United States and the European Union.

The armed forces chief, Herzi Halevi, stated on Tuesday that the goals of the war are crucial yet challenging to achieve, necessitating its continuation for several more months.

The conflict began with an attack by Hamas gunmen in southern Israel on October 7, killing approximately 1,140 people, mostly civilians, based on an AFP count using Israeli data.

This deadliest attack in Israel’s history also involved Palestinian militants taking about 250 hostages, with 129 still in captivity, according to Israel.

Israel’s response included a relentless bombardment followed by a ground invasion starting October 27, leading to at least 21,110 deaths, as per the latest figures from Gaza’s health ministry, which also noted over 55,000 injuries.

The Israeli army attributes the high civilian casualties to Hamas and its allies using civilian infrastructure, like schools and hospitals, for cover.

The Israeli military has reported the death of 164 soldiers in Gaza.

On Tuesday, Israel returned the bodies of 80 Palestinians killed in Gaza, confirmed to be free of hostages, through the Red Cross.

In Rafah, a mass grave was witnessed by an AFP photographer, where the remains were buried in blue body bags.

Gaza’s 2.4 million residents are facing severe shortages of essentials like water, food, fuel, and medicines, with only limited aid reaching the territory. Approximately 1.9 million Gazans are displaced, as per the UN.

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas described the Gaza war as worse than a catastrophe and genocide, surpassing the events of the 1948 war that led to the displacement of 760,000 Palestinians. He accused Netanyahu of aiming to eliminate the Palestinians and the Palestinian Authority.

A recent UN Security Council resolution called for large-scale, unhindered humanitarian aid delivery but stopped short of demanding an immediate halt to the fighting, leaving Israel in charge of overseeing aid deliveries.

In Rafah, residents, facing water scarcity, lined up at a water company, using various means to transport clean water.

Amid fuel shortages, residents resorted to burning wood for cooking and warmth. One woman, washing clothes by hand, expressed her dire need for basic necessities.

The US National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, met with Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer to discuss transitioning to a new phase of the war, focusing on high-value Hamas targets.

Violence has also spread to the occupied West Bank, with over 310 Palestinians killed by Israeli troops or settlers, as reported by the local health ministry. An Israeli operation in a northern West Bank refugee camp resulted in six deaths.

The conflict has had regional implications, involving armed groups in Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen, all backed by Israel’s major adversary, Iran.

A Hezbollah fighter and two relatives were killed in an Israeli air strike on a Lebanon border town. In Syria, an Israeli strike led to the death of Iranian general Razi Moussavi, a senior Quds Force commander, with Iran vowing retaliation.

Yemen’s Huthi rebels have launched attacks against Israel and passing ships in the Red Sea, showing solidarity with Hamas. The US military has intercepted these attacks, with the Israeli military intercepting a hostile aerial target over the Red Sea.