Gaza death toll rises as Israel expands offensive

Dec 05, 2023 News

AL JAZEERA – Gaza Health Ministry official have said that hospitals continue to be “flooded with an influx of dead bodies” as Israel’s military widens its ground offensive in southern Gaza.

Palestinian officials say more than 800 people killed since the collapse of the truce. On Monday Israeli forces arrested more Palestinians in overnight and early morning raids across the occupied West Bank. At least 15,899 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since October 7. In Israel, the official death toll stands at about 1,200.

‘Situation is dire’

Meanwhile, Abdul Wahab Hamed, who fled central Gaza and headed south to shelter from Israeli bombardment, said the situation in the south is alarming.

“The humanitarian situation here in the south is dire,” Hamed told Al Jazeera’s Tareq Abu Azzoum in Khan Younis. “It’s marked with relentless bombardment causing a significant loss of life and damage.” “What unfolds here in Gaza is genocide. It’s an ethnic cleansing,” he added.

Israel’s ongoing assault of the strip will allow the world to witness “the consequences of war and the unrestrained power given [to] Israel,” the Palestinian man also said.

The US State Department said that it expects Israel to protect civilians during its offensive in south Gaza. Spokesman Matthew Miller says that it is “too early” to assess whether Israel is taking adequate measures to protect civilians in its renewed offensive in Gaza.

When asked about reports of mass civilian casualties in Gaza since the fighting began again, Miller said “Unfortunately, we do expect to see civilian casualties as a result of this campaign, that is sadly true in all wars.” Miller also said that there are 750 American citizens, legal permanent residents and their family members remain in Gaza, while more than 1,000 have left since the start of the October 7 war.

Regarding Monday’s operation Israeli forces killed Anas al-Faroukh, 23, in the town of Sa’i near Hebron, in the occupied West Bank. Three other Palestinians were killed on Monday – one in Qalandiya refugee camp and two in Qalqiliya – raising the death toll to 258 since October 7, the health ministry says. Earlier, soldiers raided Kufr Aqab and Qalandiya refugee camp in the occupied West Bank, injuring 44 Palestinians, according to the Palestine Red Crescent.

• 26 wounded by live ammunition
• 5 injured by rubber-coated metal rounds
• 8 treated for tear gas inhalation
• 1 wounded by shrapnel
• 4 Palestinians beaten

• Gaza, Israel’s, Offensive, Palestinians, West Bank