By Mohammed Majed and Hamdi Yildiz
GAZA, Palestine (AA) - Gaza’s Health Ministry announced early Thursday that the number of Palestinians killed in Israeli attacks has climbed to around 1,200, with nearly 5,000 wounded.
Deputy Health Minister Yusuf Abu al-Reesh visited Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza to assess the state of health services.
Speaking at a press conference after the inspection, al-Reesh said “the number of martyrs has approached 1,200 and there are approximately 5,000 injured."
He noted that most of the dead and wounded are women, children and the elderly.
In a previous statement, the Health Ministry said Gaza's hospitals were operating at full capacity due to the increasing Israeli attacks.
Health Ministry spokesperson Esref al-Kudra also said in a press release that due to overcrowding, patients and the injured were being accommodated on the floors of hospitals and receiving treatment in this manner.
Al-Kudra warned that Israel continues to cut off electricity, water and fuel, which poses a “significant danger,” and “a severe environmental and health catastrophe could occur," emphasizing that the responsibility for this lies with the Israeli occupation.