Intense Israeli bombardment from air, land, and sea continue to be reported across much of the Gaza Strip on Thursday, February 1, resulting in further civilian casualties, displacement, and destruction. Between the afternoons of Wednesday and Thursday, according to the Ministry of Health (MoH) in Gaza, 118 Palestinians were killed, and 190 Palestinians were injured.

Between 7 October 2023 and 12:00 on 1 February 2024, at least 27, 019 Palestinians were killed in Gaza and 66,139 Palestinians were injured, according to the MoH, most of those killed were women and children. The number of deaths has grown by more than 1,100 since the International Court of Justice in the Hague told Israel to do its best to prevent acts of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.

Mothers bid a very sad farewell to their loved belonging to the Harb family in Rafah killed by Israeli bombing of civilian areas in the Gaza Strip, December 12, 2023 (Photo: Activestills)

Late Wednesday, the Israeli soldiers stormed the Palestine Red Crescent Society-run (PRCS) Al-Amal Hospital in southern Gaza’s Khan Younis, following a 10-day siege. “Occupation forces are currently raiding Al-Amal Hospital square (and are) stationed in front of the external gate of the reception and emergency department and firing heavily,” the Red Crescent said on X.

“Despite ongoing bombardment and gunfire, the medical teams at PRCS Al-Amal Hospital in Khan Younis persist in treating the wounded and patients,” it added. “Today, the hospital received seven martyrs, including a PRCS employee, and attended to nine injuries. The siege and targeting have endured for the tenth consecutive day.” The escalation of hostilities in Khan Younis has resulted in a significant increase in attacks against the few remaining partially and minimally functional health facilities and an increase in the number of IDPs seeking refuge in Rafah.

Thousands of Palestinians continue fleeing to the southern town of Rafah, which is already hosting over half of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million people. Most are living in makeshift structures, tents, or out in the open, according to UNRWA. On Wednesday, UNRWA reported that some 184,000 people had registered for humanitarian assistance in the western outskirts of Khan Younis, after they were displaced from Khan Younis city in recent days amid evacuation orders and continued hostilities. As of 29 January, according to UNRWA, there are an estimated 1.7 million displaced in the Gaza Strip.

Related: https://maki.org.il/en/?p=31525