Gaza death toll climbs amid fierce fighting in south

The latest developments from the Israel Hamas war.

Palestinian death toll climbs

At least 100 people were killed and 158 injured in central Gaza over the past 24 hours, a Palestinian health official said on Saturday.

In Gaza, at least 21,507 people have now been killed and 55,915 injured in Israeli attacks since October 7.

Some 1,200 people died in Hamas’ 7 October attack on southern Israel.

Fierce fighting in Gaza

Intense fighting has been reported between Israeli forces and Hamas militants on Saturday.

Israel is concentrating its military offensive on southern Gaza, particularly around the city of Khan Younis. But it is also conducting operations elsewhere.

In Gaza City, the Israeli Defense Force wrote on X it “eliminated dozens of terrorists” and that “battles took place where further terrorists were eliminated.”

On Friday, Israel’s Defence Ministry claimed its troops had successfully located and demolished a hideout apartment belonging to Yahya Sinwar, the leader of the Hamas terrorist organization in the Gaza Strip.

A UN official claimed Israeli troops had opened fire on an aid convoy returning from northern Gaza, damaging a vehicle.

Violence is also spilling into the wider region.

Israeli strikes targeted the Damascus airport and Syrian military sites late Thursday and early Friday, causing material losses, according to Syrian sources.

Israel has launched numerous strikes in government-controlled Syria, often targeting Iran-backed groups supporting President Bashar Assad, although Israel rarely acknowledges these actions.

South Africa accuses Israel of genocide

South Africa has initiated a case at the International Court of Justice, accusing Israel of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza and requesting an immediate suspension of Israeli military operations.

Israel vehemently rejected these allegations, calling them ‘blood libel’ and asserting the case’s lack of legal or factual basis.

Israel also accused South Africa of cooperating with Hamas, linking it to the cross-border attack that triggered the ongoing conflict.

Other legal cases have been launched against parties involved in the Israel Hamas war.

In December, rights groups took the UK government to court over its arms exports to Israel amid the catastrophic war in Gaza.

Supported by the International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP), Palestinian human rights organisation Al-Haq and UK-based Global Legal Action Network (GLAN) want London to immediately suspend lucrative weapons sales to Israel, claiming there is a “clear risk” they are being used in war crimes.

Gaza civilians devastated by humanitarian crisis

Mercy Corps has warned of famine and disease in Gaza, attributing the crisis to relentless fighting and insufficient humanitarian aid.

The organisation claims that aid deliveries to the besieged Palestinian enclave are inadequate, with half a million people facing “catastrophic hunger and starvation.”

Meanwhile, UNICEF has delivered at least 600,000 vaccine doses to Gaza to address the escalating health crisis.

A lack of clean water and basic medical supplies in the territory has contributed to the spread of illnesses.

More than 16,800 infants have missed routine vaccines, and UNICEF, along with WHO and UNRWA, is working to administer the arriving vaccines.

Tens of thousands of vaccines for diseases like polio, tuberculosis, measles, and hepatitis have been confirmed by Israeli officials in coordination with UNICEF.

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