Just over a year after Israel’s invasion began, the death toll has passed 43,000, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry, with most of the dead being women and children.
The death toll continues to rise as Israel focuses more attention on northern Gaza, where at least 100,000 people are reportedly trapped with no way to evacuate, AP reports. Oxfam has accused Israel of trying to starve the area out, as Israel’s three-week siege of Jabalia, Beit Lahia and Beit Hanun has prevented food and medicine from reaching northern Gaza.
More than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed since the siege of northern Gaza began some three weeks ago, according to Palestinian officials.
At the Kamal Adwan hospital in Beit Lahia, Israeli soldiers also detained some 40 staff members during a raid last week. The hospital, which housed around 200 patients, also suffered extensive damage during the raid.
On Monday, Israeli lawmakers passed two new laws that would effectively hamper the UN’s humanitarian work. One would prohibit the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, from carrying out “any activity” or providing services in Israel. The second law would sever all diplomatic relations with UNRWA.
