Israel kills 357 Palestinians in Gaza ceasefire
Israeli forces have killed 357 Palestinians in Gaza during the first 50 days of a ceasefire that began on October 10 this year, according to figures released by Gaza’s Health Ministry and Media Office.
The continued operations have intensified concerns over the durability of the agreement, which was brokered by Türkiye, Egypt, and Qatar with support from the United States.
The latest fatalities bring the overall Palestinian death toll since October 2023 to 70,112, with 170,986 people injured, the Health Ministry reported. Casualties have continued to mount across multiple areas of Gaza, including zones previously designated for displaced civilians.
Despite the cease-fire, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on October 28 directed the Israeli military to carry out heavy attacks inside Gaza. Less than 24 hours after the order, Gaza’s Health Ministry said hospitals received the bodies of 104 civilians, including 46 children and 20 women, from Israeli airstrikes on October 29. Another 253 people were injured, among them 78 children and 84 women.
Humanitarian agencies warn that aid conditions have deteriorated sharply under the cease-fire. Gaza’s Media Office reported on November 24 that Israel was allowing only 200 aid trucks per day into the enclave, far short of the 600 trucks daily that relief organizations say are required to meet basic needs.
The shortage has left hospitals operating with minimal supplies and forced displaced families to remain in makeshift shelters with limited food, clean water, and medical support.
Authorities in Gaza say the Israeli army has carried out 591 cease-fire violations since October 10, including direct gunfire at civilians, bombardments, and the demolition of residential homes and tents. At least 38 Palestinians have been arbitrarily detained during the same period.
Human rights observers warn that the documented violations underscore significant challenges to maintaining stability under the current agreement.
On December 2, Palestinian journalist Mahmoud Wadi was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Khan Younis while covering events on the ground. His death raises the number of journalists killed since October 2023 to 257, according to Gaza’s Media Office, further highlighting the extreme risks for media workers in the conflict zone.
The cease-fire deal, in effect since October 10, aims to halt two years of Israeli military operations in Gaza. The agreement’s first phase includes the exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners, alongside initial steps toward reconstruction and the planning of a new governing structure for Gaza without Hamas.
However, ongoing military activity, limited humanitarian access, and the rising civilian death toll have raised doubts over the deal’s implementation and long-term viability.
Source: Aljazeera