Gaza: Hamas has announced the Gaza Strip a “disaster zone,” warning of an unprecedented humanitarian crisis that endangers the lives of over 2.4 million residents as widespread devastation continues and essential resources deplete.
In a press release, the Hamas media office reported that over 61,709 individuals have died in Gaza, with 47,487 confirmed fatalities in hospitals and 14,222 still missing under debris. The total number of injured has reached 111,588.
The ongoing conflict has displaced more than 2 million Palestinians, many of whom have been forced to evacuate multiple times, according to Xinhua news agency.
The report highlighted that 450,000 housing units have been affected by the war, with 170,000 completely destroyed. The healthcare system has also been severely impacted, leading to the closure of 34 hospitals and 80 healthcare centers.
Economic losses are estimated to exceed $50 billion, affecting various sectors, including industry, commerce, agriculture, healthcare, education, and communications.
The statement emphasized that the humanitarian situation in Gaza is deteriorating due to the ongoing Israeli blockade, resulting in critical shortages of food, water, and medicine, which threaten countless lives.
Hamas called on the United Nations and other international organizations to urgently provide humanitarian assistance and ensure civilian protection as mandated by international law. They also accused Israel of committing “systematic war crimes” with U.S. backing and urged the international community to hold accountable those responsible.
Recently, tens of thousands of Palestinians began returning to their homes in Gaza City and northern areas of the coastal enclave after 15 months of forced displacement, following an agreement that allows displaced residents to return to northern Gaza.