JERUSALEM (Reuters) – The Israeli military published the names on Sunday of four soldiers killed in the Gaza Strip, bringing to 604 its losses in ground fighting there as the war against Hamas reached the half-year mark.
The four commandos died on Saturday in southern Gaza, the military said in a statement that followed weeks of relatively low Israeli casualties. Hamas had claimed an ambush against Israeli forces in the southern town of Khan Younis on Saturday.
Earlier on Saturday, Hamas-run Health Ministry said in a press statement that the Palestinian death toll in Gaza Strip in ongoing Israeli attacks has risen to 33,137.
It said during the past 24 hours, Israeli army killed 46 Palestinians and wounded 65 others as a result of which the number of injuries has reached 75,815 since the Israel-Hamas conflict broke out on Oct. 7, 2023.
However, according to the United Nations Organisation for Humanitarian Aid, at least 32,623 Palestinians have been killed and more than 75,092 injured in the war.
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) said 99 Palestinian journalists and media persons, four Israeli and three Lebanese journalists have been killed since the start of the war.
Meanwhile, UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell has said that more than “13,000 children” were killed and “countless” others sustained injuries during the Israeli aggression on Gaza.
“Homes, schools and hospitals in ruin. Teachers, doctors and humanitarians killed. Famine is imminent. The level and speed of destruction are shocking. Children need a ceasefire NOW,” Russell wrote on X handle, formerly known as Twitter.
On the other hand, Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi has warned that the attack would lead to another massacre as there are reports that Israel is planning to invade Rafah.
Safadi said several UN agencies – including UNICEF, WHO, OCHA, UNRWA and WFP – have “spoken of the horror Israel brought on Gaza”.
“It’s time their call for ending this brutality was heeded. UNICEF is now focusing on the fear for the lives of 600,000 boys and girls in Rafah if an invasion is allowed. It must not be allowed,” he added.
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