GAZA CRISIS - RISING CASUALTIES AND POOR HUMANITARIAN EFFORTS

On October 24, the number of victims in the Gaza Strip increased to 5,300 with about another 18,000 people injured. The Israeli side reported more than 1,400 dead and 4,600 wounded.

Despite the horrific growth in the number of casualties, Israel and its Western partners, primarily in Washington, are in no hurry to take any steps to establish at least some temporary ceasefire. Millions of people remain trapped in Gaza pounded by Israeli bombs.

At least 12 hospitals and 32 medical centers have failed due to shelling and fuel shortages, the Gaza Health Ministry reported. The Gaza Strip is under an Israeli blockade and there is no electricity supply. As a result, the local medical facilities, where dozens of wounded people arrive daily, are running on generators. Many operations have to be performed in open field conditions, without anesthesia and in the light of poorly charged phones. For example, the director of the Al-Shifa Hospital in the Gaza Strip reported that his medical institution had not received any help since the beginning of the war: neither medicines nor fuel for generators, and that their supplies may run out within a few hours.

On October 20, the first trucks with humanitarian aid, including fuel tankers, entered the region from Egypt. On October 24, the fourth convoy of another 20 trucks reportedly passed through the Rafah border crossing.

However, such humanitarian efforts are still insignificant. Crowds of people are still unable to leave the war-torn region across the Egyptian border. Moreover, the Israeli military warned that it would stop the passing humanitarian aid if it falls into the hands of Hamas fighters. Israel will prevent “uncontrolled deliveries” of humanitarian aid from other countries to the Gaza Strip, the office of Israeli Prime Minister declared.

On October 22, Israel made its position clear by opening fire from a tank at Egyptian border guards in the area of Kibbutz Kerem Shalom. The IDF claimed that this was a mistake and expressed regret to the Egyptian side.

Amid the humanitarian disaster, Hamas reportedly demanded to allow the supply of fuel to the Gaza Strip in exchange for the release of 50 hostages, but Tel Aviv refused.

However, the negotiation process with the participation of various external parties apparently continues, as the Israeli military still does not launch its crushing ground operation, despite the ongoing threats. In its turn, Hamas continues to release some hostages. According to the latest data from the Israeli military, there are at least 222 people in captivity.

Through the mediation of Egypt and Qatar, Hamas handed two elderly women over to Israel on October 23. This is the second time that Hamas has officially released hostages “for humanitarian reasons”: last week it released two American women.

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