Death toll from Israeli attacks in Gaza nears 24,000

Health authorities in the Gaza Strip said at least 23,708 Palestinians have been killed and 60,050 others injured in Israeli attacks in the besieged enclave since October 7.

In a statement, the health ministry in Gaza announced that 151 more people were killed and 248 others injured over the past 24 hours, as the death toll continues to skyrocket to a new record level.

The ministry explained that scores of victims are still trapped under the rubble and on the roads, and ambulance and civil defense crews are still struggling to reach them.

Israel launched heavy air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip following a cross-border attack by Palestinian group Hamas in October last year.

At least 1,200 Israelis were reported to have died in the attack by Hamas, while dozens of others were taken hostage.

The Israeli retaliatory attacks have left Gaza in ruins, with 60% of the enclave’s infrastructure damaged or destroyed and nearly 2 million residents displaced amid acute shortages of food, clean water, and medicines.

Meanwhile, the United Nations says Israelis are severely restricting humanitarian aid missions to northern Gaza.

The UN’s humanitarian aid chief, Martin Griffiths, told the Security Council of the “horrific” situation in Gaza amid “relentless Israeli military operations.”