Over 1,800 Palestinians killed in Israel’s ongoing assault in northern Gaza, local authorities say

By Abdelsalam Fayez

GAZA CITY, Palestine (AA) – More than 1,800 Palestinians were killed since Israel launched a deadly onslaught in northern Gaza last month, local authorities said on Monday.

“Over 1,800 people were killed and 4,000 injured while hundreds are still missing in this ongoing aggression,” Gaza’s government media office said in a statement.

“All hospitals in northern Gaza were destroyed and put out of service, and civil defense crews targeted, with some of them arrested,” it added.

The Israeli army has continued a deadly onslaught in northern Gaza since Oct. 5 to reportedly prevent the Palestinian resistance group Hamas from regrouping amid a siege on the area. Palestinians, however, accuse Israel of seeking to occupy the area and forcibly displace its residents.

"The occupation army used starvation as a weapon against civilians, prevented 3,800 aid trucks from going into northern Gaza, and deliberately starved nearly 400,000 people there, including more than 100,000 children,” the media office said.

“It also destroyed dozens of displacement and shelter centers that house tens of thousands of displaced people who fled their homes in search of safety and security."

The media office appealed to the international community and UN agencies to assume their responsibilities and pressure Israel “to stop the brutal crimes being committed against civilians in Gaza.”

Israel has continued a devastating offensive on Gaza since an attack last October by the Palestinian resistance group Hamas, despite a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire.

More than 43,300 people have since been killed, mostly women and children, and over 102,000 others injured, according to local health authorities.

The Israeli onslaught has displaced almost the entire population of the territory amid an ongoing blockade that has led to severe shortages of food, clean water, and medicine.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its actions in Gaza.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar