200 days into war on Gaza, Israel persists in aggravating situation with plans to attack Rafah

By Anadolu staff

GAZA CITY, Palestine (AA) - The Israeli army's devastating onslaught against the Gaza Strip entered Tuesday its 200th day amid plans by Israel to attack Rafah city, southern Gaza, which is home to nearly 1.4 million displaced Palestinians.

In the course of the Israeli onslaught against Gaza since October last year, the Israeli army has killed 34,183 Palestinians and injured over 77,000 others, mostly children and women.

According to the Gaza-based Government Media Office, the Israeli army committed 3,021 massacres against families across the Gaza Strip since the start of the Israeli war.

It added that at least 485 medical staff, 66 civil defense personnel, 140 journalists, and 224 relief workers were among the Palestinian victims.

Over 7,000 Palestinians remain missing under the rubble of the destroyed homes across the Palestinian enclave, the office also said.

- Difficult humanitarian conditions

More than 2 million Palestinians suffer from catastrophic living and health conditions, especially for those living in shelter centers, according to UN reports.

The situation is worse in the northern part of the Gaza Strip with international warnings that hundreds of thousands of Palestinians there are on the verge of famine.

According to the Palestinian health authorities in Gaza, at least 30 Palestinian children died due to malnutrition and hunger.

The lack of cooking gas forced Palestinians to use alternatives, including coal, wood, and plastic items to cook, endangering their health, the Government Media Office reported.

- Vast areas of destruction

The Gaza Strip was turned into a vast destroyed area due to the Israeli bombardment which never stopped for 200 days.

According to satellite images by the New York University, more than 56% of Gaza buildings have been either destroyed or damaged in addition to the infrastructure.

The Palestinian official figures estimate that 60% of the residential homes across Gaza and over 80% of commercial facilities were damaged.

The Government Media Office said the Israeli army fired nearly 75,000 tons of explosives across the Gaza Strip that left an unprecedented scale of destruction in the tiny enclave.

It added that 86,000 house units were completely destroyed, and 309,000 others were partially damaged but still uninhabitable.

- Military developments

The Israeli army still carries out military operations across the Gaza Strip, leaving further destruction in the areas across Gaza.

The last Israeli military offensive was on April 11 against the Nuseirat refugee camp, central Gaza Strip.

Ismail Thawabteh, the director of the Government Media Office, said the Israeli army destroyed completely 14 residential buildings, and damaged dozens of others during the Israeli incursion into the Nuseirat refugee camp.

On April 7, the Israeli army withdrew from Khan Younis city, southern Gaza Strip, after a four-month military campaign, leaving a wide scale of destruction across Khan Younis.

On Monday, the Palestinian Civil Defense service said it had recovered 283 bodies of Palestinians killed and buried in mass graves by the Israeli forces in the Nasser hospital in Khan Younis.

- Growing threats

Despite international warnings about a planned Israeli invasion against Rafah, the Israeli army persists to go ahead in attacking the tiny city that is home to nearly 1.4 million displaced Palestinians.

Last week, an Israeli government spokesperson said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu set a date for invading Rafah.

Rafah area is the last remaining area in the enclave where Tel Aviv has not yet formally announced the entry of its troops to continue the onslaught against Palestinians.

Israel has pounded the Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7, which Tel Aviv says killed nearly 1,200 people.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

* Writing by Ahmed Asmar