At least 40 Palestinians have been killed and 146 others injured in Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza Strip over the past 24 hours, according to local health authorities.
In a statement released Thursday, Gaza’s health ministry said the victims’ bodies and wounded individuals have been transported to nearby hospitals. The ministry also confirmed that the number of Palestinians killed since Israel resumed its offensive on March 18 has risen to 1,522. Since the conflict began in October 2023, the total death toll has climbed to 50,886, with at least 115,875 injured.
Health officials sounded the alarm over a deepening medical crisis, urgently calling for increased shipments of essential medicines and equipment. Hospitals and primary care centers are facing severe shortages, which are being worsened by the continued closure of Gaza’s border crossings.
According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), all crossings into the Gaza Strip have remained shut for both humanitarian and commercial deliveries since March 2, severely hampering relief efforts.
In a separate development on Thursday, Palestinian sources reported that Israeli authorities released 10 Palestinian detainees through the Kissufim crossing in southern Gaza, northeast of Khan Younis. The former prisoners, who had been arrested during Israeli ground operations, were taken to Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah in poor health and wearing prison-issued uniforms.
The Israeli military has detained thousands of Palestinians since launching its ground offensive in Gaza late last year. The humanitarian and medical situation in the region continues to deteriorate as hostilities persist.
