Gaza, January 13, 2024: Health officials in Hamas-ruled Gaza reported on Saturday that Israeli strikes overnight resulted in the death of at least 60 people in the besieged territory. This grim toll marks the highest casualties on a New Year’s Day in the last six years. The region is also grappling with a telecommunications blackout on the 99th day of the war.
Amid fears of the conflict escalating, US and British forces conducted strikes on pro-Hamas Huthi rebels in Yemen, following attacks on Red Sea shipping. The US military announced a fresh airstrike on Saturday, raising concerns about the widening impact of the conflict.
Witnesses in the Gaza Strip reported intense Israeli bombardment in the early morning. The Israeli army stated that its forces targeted dozens of rocket launchers “ready to be used” in central Gaza and eliminated four “terrorists” in air strikes on Khan Yunis, Gaza’s major southern city.
Health ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra reported “more than 60 martyrs” in Israeli air strikes and artillery fire, with dozens more wounded. The relentless bombardment since Hamas’s October 7 attack has led to a staggering toll of at least 23,843 people killed, predominantly women and children, according to the territory’s health ministry.
The war, initiated by Hamas’s unprecedented attack on Israel, resulted in about 1,140 deaths, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. The recent strikes have caused a telecommunications blackout, further complicating the challenges faced by health officials in reaching the wounded promptly.
The dire humanitarian situation in Gaza is exacerbated by winter rains, with the UN estimating that nearly 85 percent of the population, around 1.9 million people, have been displaced. Hospitals, protected under international humanitarian law, have repeatedly been targeted by Israeli strikes, raising concerns about the accessibility of medical services.
Despite international calls for a ceasefire and expressions of concern from humanitarian organizations, the conflict shows no signs of abating. The International Court of Justice heard arguments this week in a case launched by South Africa, accusing Israel of breaching the UN Genocide Convention over the Gaza war. Both Israel and the United States have dismissed the case as groundless. The court is expected to make an initial ruling within weeks.
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