The following press release was issued at 8pm Monday night, Gaza time, by the Ministry of Health-Gaza Strip.
It came after Israeli war minister Yoav Gallant described Palestinians as “human animals” and announced a total siege of the Gaza Strip.
“I have ordered a complete siege ... There will be no electricity, no food, no fuel, everything is closed”, Gallant said. “We are fighting human animals, and we are acting accordingly.”
By Monday morning, according to Israeli sources, the air force had already dropped more than 1,000 tonnes of bombs on the besieged territory. But the terror has only just begun.
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On the third day of the ongoing Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, the Ministry of Health expressed its deep concern about the continuation of the Israeli escalation and the direct attacks on medical facilities and innocent civilians.
The Ministry of Health emergency plan has been deployed. All health facilities are functioning to respond to those who are injured by Israeli aggression
According to the Palestinian Health Information Center (PHIC) as of October 7 there have been 687 killed, including 140 children, and 105 women, while 3726 were injured, 10 percent of the injuries were children.
Since the beginning of the ongoing escalation, there have been thirteen families massacred, and most of them are still under the rubble.
Before October 7, Gaza suffered from severe shortages of critical medications, disposable medical equipment, and fuel due to the Israeli blockade. The Israeli aggression has further worsened this situation.
There continues to be a lack of electricity to operate the health care system. This threatens the lives of all sick and injured people.
The Israeli occupation expanded the targeting circle for medical personnel, health facilities, and ambulances, which caused the killing of five health personnel and the injury of ten others.
Seven hospitals and health centres were targeted, and direct damage was caused in large parts of them.
The Israeli occupation put Beit Hanoun Hospital (the only one in the city) out of service due to the repeated targeting in the hospital vicinity, which led to the suspension of its services.
The Israeli occupation deliberately targeted ambulances, as the occupation targeted eleven ambulances and one of the health services vehicles destroyed, and put them out of service
The Ministry of Health calls on the international community to support the emergency need for vital medicines, disposable medical products, fuel, and high-capacity generators, in the face of the ongoing lack of electricity and medical shortage.
