• At least 25,490 people have been killed and 63,000 wounded in Israeli attacks on Gaza since October 7. The death toll in Israel from the October 7 Hamas attack now stands at 1,139. Medical sources report that at least 40 Palestinians were killed in Khan Younis on a single day, with ongoing Israeli bombing preventing access to additional bodies.
• Israel’s military experienced its deadliest single day since the Gaza ground invasion began, with 24 soldiers killed. The White House acknowledged it as a “terrible day” for the Israeli military but refrained from commenting on the potential impact on Israel’s war efforts. Criticism has been directed at the White House for not showing similar compassion for the Palestinian death toll, surpassing 25,000, with previous remarks from the White House spokesperson downplaying the brutality of war.
• Witnesses reported Israeli forces targeting the al-Mawasi area, designated as a “safe zone,” resulting in intense bombing and casualties among displaced people. A woman who lost her husband and daughter described the tragic events, emphasizing the lack of actual safe areas and accusing the Israeli army of intentionally targeting the gathered people.
• Members of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s Likud party, including ministers and parliament members, plan to host a conference advocating for Israeli settlements in Gaza in response to Hamas’s October 7 attacks. Israeli tourism minister Haim Katz stated that the withdrawal of settlers in 2005 created a “Nazi monster” and emphasized that only resettling Gaza could ensure Israel’s security.
• UN humanitarian bodies expressed deep concern about the dire conditions in Gaza, citing the recurrent denial of access to northern Gaza hindering life-saving operations. The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) highlighted challenges caused by fighting, communications blackouts, and access restrictions in delivering aid effectively.
• Hamas called for urgent international intervention from the UN, Red Cross, and World Health Organization to stop Israel’s attacks on Gaza’s hospitals. The group accused Israel of war crimes and highlighted the direct targeting of Nasser and El Amal hospitals in Khan Younis, endangering the lives of patients, medics, and displaced individuals.
• Amnesty International wrote a letter to the EU urging an immediate ceasefire and public pressure on Israel to lift its illegal blockade of Gaza. The letter highlighted the human rights and humanitarian crisis, aligning with the views of 153 states and a majority of UN bodies that a ceasefire is crucial to saving lives and addressing the crisis.
