Gaza to turn into ‘mass grave’ if aid further delayed: Official

Gaza CITY, Palestine (AA) – The head of the government media office in Gaza on Thursday warned of a humanitarian catastrophe in the Palestinian enclave, saying it would turn into a “mass grave” if response to distress calls is delayed.

Israeli forces launched a sustained and forceful military campaign against the Gaza Strip, a response to a military offensive by the Palestinian group Hamas in Israeli territories.

"The Gaza Strip has entered a dangerous turn, and is witnessing deterioration in all its services and living conditions" after Israel cut off water and electricity supply, Salama Ma’rouf told Anadolu.

He said "Israel is working to wipe out entire residential neighborhoods, forcibly displace hundreds of thousands of citizens from their homes, and annihilate entire families by bombing their homes over their heads."

The bombing, Ma'rouf added, has led to "mass massacres," and "morgues are unable to accommodate the increasing number of corps."

The number of injuries has exceeded the capacity at hospitals, and the wounded are being treated in hospital corridors as all operation and care rooms are occupied, the official added.

"Gaza is a disaster zone subjected to genocide, collective punishment and massacre," Ma'rouf said. "Delayed response will result in turning the Gaza Strip into a mass grave, in which people die in many ways; due to bombing and destruction, hunger, lack of safe drinking water, or the spread of epidemics and infectious diseases."

Palestinian Health Minister Mai Al-Kaila, meanwhile, called for urgent and immediate support for the health sector in the Gaza Strip, warning of its collapse.

There is "acute shortage of medical supplies, appliances for operating rooms, medicines, and blood bags,” she said, adding that "the large number of wounded currently exceeds the capacity of hospitals in Gaza."

The conflict began when Hamas on Saturday initiated Operation Al-Aqsa Flood against Israel, a multi-pronged surprise attack including a barrage of rocket launches and infiltrations into Israel via land, sea, and air. Hamas said the offensive was in retaliation for the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem and Israeli settlers’ growing violence against Palestinians.

The Israeli military then launched Operation Swords of Iron against Hamas targets within the Gaza Strip.

Israel's response has extended into cutting water and electricity supplies to Gaza, further worsening the living conditions in an area that has reeled under a crippling siege since 2007.

Israeli Energy Minister Israel Katz on Thursday said electricity, water and fuel will not be provided to Gaza until all its hostages were freed.