Israel-Hamas war: Thousands more civilians likely to die in Gaza, UN warns Israel
Israel-Hamas war: As Israel's ground operation in Gaza continues, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, warned that thousands more civilians could be killed.
"Given the manner in which military operations have been conducted until now, in the context of the 56-year-old occupation, I am raising alarm about the possibly catastrophic consequences of large-scale ground operations in Gaza and the potential for thousands more civilians to die," the UN officials stated.
In Gaza, Israel expanded its ground operation with infantry and armoured vehicles, backed up by massive air and sea strikes, including the bombing of Hamas tunnels. The bombardment also knocked out most communications in Gaza, isolating the besieged enclave's 2.3 million people from the rest of the world.
The Israeli military released grainy images of tank columns slowly moving through open areas of Gaza. "The forces are still on the ground and are continuing the war," said army spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari.
Since October 7, the Palestinian death toll in Gaza has risen to just over 7,700, with 377 deaths reported since late Friday. According to the Gaza health ministry, the majority of those killed have been women and minors. According to agencies, more than 1.4 million people have fled their homes, with nearly half of them crowding into UN schools and shelters.
Meanwhile, more than 1,400 Israelis were killed in the October 7 Hamas attack. According to the military, at least 311 of those killed were soldiers.
- PTC NEWS
