On the 19th day of the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, the toll on Palestinian lives surpasses the cumulative total of the past 15 years, marking a drastic escalation in casualties.
700 killed in one day
The United Nations noted that the death toll on Wednesday (Oct 25), as reported by Gaza’s health ministry, exceeded 700 people, marking the highest single-day count since the war began.
Overnight, at least 80 more people were killed, and hundreds sustained injuries, as stated by the ministry.
In the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian Authority’s health ministry reported 102 Palestinian fatalities since October 7, as violence with Israeli troops and settlers continues to escalate.
Gaza hospitals struggle to operate
Gaza’s medical facilities are also on the brink of a “total collapse,” according to Palestinian medics’ warnings on Wednesday (Oct 25). The United Nations reported critically low supplies, while the Hamas-run health ministry documented 700 fatalities in Israeli airstrikes within a 24-hour period.
Concern is mounting over the deepening humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip. Israel initiated bombings on October 7 following an attack by Hamas militants who crossed the border, resulting in the deaths of more than 1,400 people, primarily civilians, and the kidnapping of over 220 others, as reported by Israeli officials.
UN data reveals that more than a third of Gaza’s 35 hospitals have closed due to damage or a lack of fuel, forcing some doctors to perform surgeries without anesthesia. Israel has disrupted the usual flow of water, food, and supplies to Gaza. Since the beginning of the conflict, fewer than 70 relief trucks have entered the impoverished territory, with none of them containing fuel, which Israel fears Hamas might repurpose for weapons and explosives.
During the session at the UN Security Council addressing the Israel-Gaza conflict on Tuesday (Oct 24), US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the only path to long-lasting peace is the establishment of two separate states for two distinct peoples.