The death toll in Gaza from Israel’s genocidal war crossed the 27,000-mark as Israel continued its intense and incessant bombardment and ground attacks on the enclave. Israeli military raids and violence have also been taking place across the occupied West Bank, with dozens of Palestinians arrested over the last 24 hours.
Possible truce?
The attacks continue amid reports that both sides are reviewing a possible truce agreement drafted in the French capital, Paris, in talks mediated by Qatar and Egypt. Hamas leader, Ismail Haniyeh, was expected to travel to the Egyptian capital, Cairo to discuss the six-week truce deal proposed by Israel.
Details obtained of the ceasefire proposal reveal that it is in the form of a three-stage plan which would see several weeks-long pauses in fighting and the release of both Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners. The ratio of how many Palestinian prisoners would be released per hostage is still not defined, but Palestinian groups are also demanding a release of all those who were arrested after October 7, any sick prisoners, and women and children.
Hamas leaders have also declared that the truce must include a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, a permanent end to the war, and an end to the more than 17-year illegal Israeli blockade on Gaza.
Israel refuses to let up
Israeli bombardment and ground assaults in the last day struck multiple areas across northern, central and southern Gaza, predominantly in residential neighborhoods and densely populated civilian areas in Gaza city, Deir al-Balah, Nuseirat refugee camp, Khan Younis, among others, killing and injuring scores of civilians.
The onslaught against Gaza’s remaining hospitals also continues. The Al-Amal hospital in Khan Younis is currently under siege with Israeli forces launching heavy aerial bombardment along with ground troops unleashing gunfire on the facility. Attacks have been registered against the Nasser hospital and the headquarters of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society.
The UN agency for Palestine refugees, UNRWA, also noted that its facilities and properties have also come under constant attack from the Israeli forces, where hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinian civilians have been taking refuge, adding that they have been attacked at least 270 times, resulting in the killings of 372 people, including hundreds of UN staff. In the last 24 hours, Israeli forces have killed at least 118 Palestinians, along with injuring close to 200. The total death toll in Gaza since the beginning of the Israeli war has risen to 27,019 Palestinians killed, along with at least 66,139 injured.
Additionally, disturbing reports have emerged within the last two days of mass graves and dozens of dead bodies of Palestinians discovered in multiple locations, with many of those bodies reportedly seen blindfolded and their hands tied behind their back, indicating that they were killed ‘execution-style.’ The bodies reportedly also had signs of torture on them. A mass grave of at least 50 Palestinians was found at a school in Beit Lahia in Northern Gaza, while at least 14 bodies of Palestinians were also discovered near a refugee camp in Khan Younis. Both these acts are violations of international law and constitute a war crime.
The United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres today issued a strong warning about the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza, stating that virtually the whole population in Gaza is going hungry.
Everyone in Gaza is hungry.
1.7 million people have been displaced.
The humanitarian system in collapsing.
I call for rapid, safe, unhindered, expanded & sustained humanitarian access throughout Gaza.
— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) February 1, 2024
Close to 185,000 internally displaced civilians are taking refuge on the western outskirts of Khan Younis following the recent Israeli bombardment concentrated on that city, according to UNRWA. The Palestinian Ministry of Health has said that among those, more than 30,000 civilians currently have no access to food, water, baby formula or medicines.
Overall, more than 1.9 million Palestinians have been internally displaced as a result of the war, which is virtually 90% of the entire population of Gaza.
The UN has further noted that 50-60% of all residential and civilian buildings have either been severely damaged or completely destroyed.
While all aid agencies have repeatedly urged for a ceasefire in order to meet the pressing needs of the population, one of the primary aid agencies, UNRWA, suffered a heavy blow when 16 donor countries announced they would cut the agency’s funding after Israel leveled allegations that workers at the agency had been involved in the October 7 resistance operation. Tom White, Director of UNRWA Affairs in Gaza and UN Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, stated, “It’s difficult to imagine that Gazans will survive this crisis without UNRWA…(we) have received reports that people in the area are grinding bird feed to make flour.”
