Israeli forces have intensified airstrikes and advanced plans to occupy Gaza City as starvation deaths and amputations among children surge under the ongoing blockade.
Gaza’s Ministry of Health announced on Saturday that the death toll from Israeli-induced starvation has risen to 251 martyrs, including 108 children. The latest figures come as the Israeli military intensifies its attacks and prepares for what it describes as an accelerated operation to occupy Gaza City.
According to the Director-General of the Ministry of Health, Munir al-Bursh, hospitals in Gaza have recorded 11 deaths from malnutrition in the past 24 hours alone.
He stated that 40,000 infants are suffering from severe malnutrition, while the Israeli blockade continues to prevent a sufficient number of aid trucks from entering the Strip. The limited aid that does enter is often looted due to the precarious security situation created by the Israeli army, added.
Palestinians with Disabilities Face ‘Immense Challenges’ in Gaza – UNRWA
In a grim new development, al-Bursh revealed that 1,000 children have had their limbs amputated due to a lack of medical supplies. The Director of the Medical Relief Society in Gaza, Bassam Zagout, confirmed that many children who have reached a catastrophic state of malnutrition can no longer be saved.
Meanwhile, the Director of the Al-Shifa Medical Complex, Mohammed Abu Salmiya, warned that the lives of more than 200 patients are at risk from a severe lack of medicine and food. He noted that amputations are on the rise because antibiotics are no longer effective against infections.
The United Nations World Food Programme recently warned that one-third of Gaza’s population has not eaten in several days.
Escalated Military Operations
In related news, the Israeli army has intensified its airstrikes on Gaza since dawn, resulting in numerous casualties. Hospital sources reported that 25 Palestinians were killed, with 12 of them being aid seekers.
In central Gaza, an Israeli airstrike on a home in the Al-Bureij refugee camp killed six Palestinians from a single family, including four children.
Other attacks on the camp killed one young man and wounded others.
In southern Gaza City, a Palestinian woman was killed in a strike on a tent housing displaced people, while another strike in Al-the Rimal neighborhood killed three more.
Furthermore, local media outlets reported that Israeli forces launched artillery fire toward eastern Zeitoun and southern Al-Sabra neighborhoods and detonated several homes in Zeitoun.
In northern Gaza, six Palestinians waiting for aid were killed by Israeli forces in the so-called Netzarim area.
In Khan Yunis, Israeli naval forces fired at the city’s coast, killing a fisherman and injuring another. An airstrike on a tent for displaced people killed two and wounded 15.
A child was also killed in a separate strike near Al-Qarara port.
Israeli Plans to Occupy Gaza City
The Israeli Broadcasting Authority has announced that the military is preparing to accelerate its operation to occupy Gaza City, following directives from the political leadership. Military leaders are scheduled to hold a meeting today to discuss operations, with Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir expected to arrive tomorrow to approve the plans.
According to the Israeli army, the plans aim to reduce the risk to captives and will determine the number of regular and reserve forces to be called up. The army hopes to limit the number of reservists needed for the operation.
The Israeli army also stated that its forces are already carrying out operations on the outskirts of Gaza City, a precursor to a major assault to gain full control of the area.
Genocide in Gaza
Since reneging on the ceasefire on March 18, Israel has continued its bloody aerial bombardment across the Gaza Strip, killing and wounding thousands of Palestinians.
Starting on October 7, 2023, the Israeli military, with American support, launched a genocidal war against the people of Gaza. This campaign has so far resulted in the deaths of more than 61,000 Palestinians, with more than 155,000 wounded. The vast majority of the population has been displaced, and the destruction of infrastructure is unprecedented since World War II. Thousands of people are still missing.
In addition to the military assault, the Israeli blockade has caused a man-made famine, leading to the deaths of hundreds of Palestinians—mostly children—with hundreds of thousands more at risk.
Despite widespread international condemnation, little has been done to hold Israel accountable. The nation is currently under investigation for genocide by the International Court of Justice, while accused war criminals, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, are officially wanted by the International Criminal Court.
(PC, AJA, Palestinian Media)
