DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — More than 46,000 Palestinians person been killed successful the Israel-Hamas war, Gaza’s Health Ministry said Thursday, pinch nary extremity successful show to nan 15-month conflict.
The ministry said a full of 46,006 Palestinians person been killed and 109,378 wounded. It has said women and children make up much than half nan fatalities, but does not opportunity really galore of nan dormant were fighters aliases civilians.
The Israeli subject says it has killed complete 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. It says it tries to debar harming civilians and blames Hamas for their deaths because nan militants run successful residential areas. Israel has besides many times struck what it claims are militants hiding successful shelters and hospitals, often sidesplitting women and children.
In caller weeks, Israel and Hamas have appeared to inch closer to an statement for a ceasefire and nan merchandise of hostages. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said this week that a woody is “very close” and he hopes to complete it earlier handing complete U.S diplomacy to nan incoming Trump administration.
But he and different U.S. officials person expressed akin optimism connected respective occasions complete nan past year, only to spot nan indirect talks stall.
The warfare began erstwhile Hamas-led militants stormed into Israel connected Oct. 7, 2023, sidesplitting immoderate 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting astir 250. Some 100 hostages are still wrong Gaza. Israeli authorities judge astatine slightest a 3rd of them were killed successful nan first onslaught or person died successful captivity.
The warfare has flattened ample areas of Gaza and displaced astir 90% of its 2.3 cardinal people, pinch galore forced to fly aggregate times. Hundreds of thousands are packed into sprawling shelter camps on nan coast pinch constricted entree to nutrient and different essentials.
“What we are surviving is not a life. Nobody could carnivore nan business we’re experiencing for a azygous day,” Munawar al-Bik, a displaced woman, told The Associated Press successful an question and reply this week.
“We aftermath up astatine nighttime to nan sounds of men crying, because of nan bad situation,” she said. “The business is unbearable. We person nary power left: we want it to extremity today.”
Al-Bik said connected a dusty roadworthy successful nan confederate metropolis of Khan Younis adjacent to a destroyed building. Behind her, a oversea of makeshift tents filled pinch displaced families stretched into nan distance.
On Thursday, dozens of group took portion successful ceremonial prayers extracurricular nan Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital successful nan cardinal Gaza metropolis of Deir al-Balah for group killed successful Israeli strikes nan time before.
In nan infirmary morgue, a man could beryllium seen kneeling and bidding farewell to a comparative earlier slamming a refrigerator doorway successful an outburst of grief.
Palestinian wellness officials said Israeli airstrikes killed astatine slightest 9 group successful Gaza connected Wednesday, including 3 infants — among them a 1-week-old — and 2 women.
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Khaled reported from Cairo.
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