Israeli Strikes on Gaza Leave Over 200 Dead, Pushing Death Toll to over 36,800

Rabat – Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) launched on Saturday a series of intense attacks on the Gaza Strip, resulting in over 200 deaths and causing widespread devastation.

The IOF’s relentless assault carried out by air, land, and sea, resulted in what is widely considered the deadliest attack by the IOF since the start of Israel’s war on Gaza on October 7.

The bombardment targeted multiple locations including Deir el-Balah and Nuseirat in central Gaza, residential areas west of Rafah in the south, and various parts of Gaza City in the north.

The Gaza Ministry of Health has reported “large numbers” of casualties, with many victims being women and children. Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital has been overwhelmed by the influx of injured individuals, struggling to provide care amidst severe shortages of medicine, food, and fuel.

“Dozens of injured people are lying on the ground, and medical teams are trying to save them with the basic medical capabilities they have available,” said a statement from the Ministry of Health.

The hospital’s main generator has stopped working due to a lack of fuel, exacerbating the dire situation, reports Al Jazeera.

According to the Gaza Government Media Office, 210 people have been killed in the Israeli attacks on Nuseirat and other central Gaza areas.

Health ministry spokespeople have indicated that numerous bodies and injured individuals remain on the streets, with communications being disrupted by the continuous bombardment.

Israel has stated that its forces were targeting “terrorist infrastructure in the area of Nuseirat.” During the operation, the IOF reported rescuing four captives who had been taken into Gaza following the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7. The rescued individuals were said to be in “good medical condition.”

Witnesses reported that the air raids in southern Gaza City led to entire residential blocks being destroyed, and gunships bombarded areas near the fishing port. The Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, condemned the attacks and called for an emergency UN Security Council session, labeling the strikes as a “bloody massacre.”

The Israeli military’s campaign in Gaza has intensified following a previous attack on Thursday that killed approximately 40 people sheltering at a United Nations-run school in the Nuseirat refugee camp.