On the fifth day of relentless Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip, the death toll among Palestinians has tragically risen to at least 1,100, while the number of injured stands at 5,339. Simultaneously, the death toll in Israel has also reached 1,200 people.
Palestinian territories death toll update
In the Palestinian territories, the Ministry of Health has provided the following updates:
Gaza Strip:
- 1,100 dead
- 5,339 injured
West Bank:
- 28 dead
- 150 injured
US working on safe passage for Gazans
The United States is actively working on creating a safe passage for Gazans attempting to escape the ongoing Israeli bombardment.
However, there has been no significant breakthrough in this endeavor. White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby emphasized that civilians are not to blame for the situation and expressed the US's support for safe passage.
Kirby also noted that the death toll of US citizens in Israel has risen to 22, with 17 individuals still missing. When questioned about the US government's stance on an Israeli ground operation in Gaza, Kirby refrained from commenting and said, "We're gonna let the Israelis talk about their military operations."
Gaza's sole power plant shuts down
The Gaza Strip's single power plant, besieged and heavily bombarded by Israel, ceased operations on Wednesday due to a shortage of fuel, as confirmed by the Palestinian enclave's electricity authority.
Earlier warnings regarding the fuel shortage prompted this shutdown, with the head of the electricity authority, Jalal Ismail, stating, "The only power plant in the Gaza Strip stopped functioning at 2 pm (1100 GMT)."
In response to the power plant's closure, the Israeli energy minister, Israel Katz, proclaimed, "We've decided to cut the supply of water, electricity, and fuel, and now their local power plant has collapsed, and there's no electricity in Gaza." He further indicated Israel's intention to maintain its siege until the perceived threat from Hamas is eliminated, both to Israel and the world.
Amidst these developments, the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees disclosed to Al Jazeera that it possesses less than a two-week supply of food and water to support the over 180,000 Palestinians who have sought refuge in their schools within Gaza.
As the crisis unfolds, the Gaza health ministry reported that, since Saturday's surprise attack, at least 1,055 Palestinians have lost their lives, with 5,184 individuals sustaining injuries in the densely populated coastal enclave.
In contrast, Israel's military declared that the death toll on its side had risen to 1,200, and more than 2,700 people had been wounded. Israel's army also claimed to have found the bodies of approximately 1,500 fighters.
Urgent access to Gaza required:, says Palestinian UN envoy
The Palestinian envoy to the United Nations, Riyad Mansour, emphasized the critical need for access to the Gaza Strip as Israel's bombardment and siege of the enclave continue.
Mansour stressed that access is essential to provide medical and humanitarian assistance to the beleaguered population. He described the situation as "extremely horrific" and the destruction as "beyond imagination."
Infiltration from Lebanon ruled out
Amid earlier reports of manned paragliders from Lebanon landing inside Israel, the Israeli Air Force has now ruled out any infiltration from Lebanon into its airspace. Army spokesman Daniel Hagari stated that there were no launches from Lebanon, and the infiltration reports were attributed to an error that is currently under investigation. The Israeli army also withdrew its call for citizens across the country to take shelter.
As the conflict enters its fifth day, international concerns escalate over the rising casualties and the urgent need for humanitarian access to the densely populated Gaza Strip. The situation remains highly volatile, with diplomatic efforts ongoing to bring an end to the violence.
