Gaza: 71,266 Martyrs and 171,219 Injured Since October 2023

SadaNews - Since the dawn of Saturday, the Israeli army has continued its airstrikes and artillery bombardments targeting various areas across the Gaza Strip, which have so far concentrated in the eastern part of Gaza City in the north, and in the city of Rafah in the south, as well as within areas still under its control as per the ceasefire agreement.

This coincides with the worsening humanitarian situation exacerbated by the weather disturbances hitting the region, accompanied by flooding rainwaters inundating dilapidated tents and tattered coverings.

Health authorities in the Gaza Strip announced the rise in the number of martyrs since the onset of aggression on October 7, 2023, to 71,266 martyrs, while the total number of injuries reached 171,219. The Ministry of Health indicated that 292 martyrs have been added to the cumulative statistics after the completion of their data and its official inclusion in the victim records.

Moreover, international organizations have renewed warnings of an imminent collapse of the health system due to the ongoing restrictions imposed by Israel on the entry of fuel and medical supplies, which exacerbates the suffering of the residents and undermines the ability of hospitals to operate.

Politically, according to Israeli reports on Friday, a disagreement persists between the United States and Israel regarding the arrangement of steps for the second phase of the ceasefire agreement, concerning whether to start the reconstruction process or to commence with disarmament first.

The U.S. administration, according to related reports, aims to transition to the second phase soon, specifically in mid-January. The reports highlight that discussions have recently taken place between the mediating countries of Qatar, Egypt, Turkey, and Washington in Miami to push for the implementation of the second phase.