s heavy fighting continues in the Gaza Strip, at least 94 bodies have arrived at Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al Balah, a health official has confirmed. Khalil Degran, the health official, spoke to The Associated Press as violence raged on, with Israeli military forces conducting intense operations against Hamas. The hospital has also received over 100 injured people, according to Degran.
The situation is dire, with widespread hunger afflicting Palestinians due to the blockade and the destruction of infrastructure. The health ministry in Gaza has reported over 36,700 Palestinians killed in the war, with no distinction made between fighters and civilians. The war has entered its eighth month, and international pressure is mounting on Israel to limit civilian casualties.
Despite the dire situation, Israel remains determined to continue fighting until all hostages taken by Hamas are freed. In a complex daytime operation, Israeli troops rescued four hostages on Saturday morning, including Noa Argamani, who had been recognized for her abduction from a music festival in southern Israel. The video of her abduction, which showed her being held by two men on a motorcycle as she screamed “Don’t kill me!”, circulated widely.
Argamani’s mother, Liora, has stage four brain cancer and had released a video pleading to see her daughter before she dies. After her rescue, Argamani spoke with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, telling him she was “very excited” to be free.
However, the war remains stuck, with divisions deepening over the best way to bring the remaining hostages home. Some 250 hostages were taken by Hamas during the October 7 attack that killed over 1,200 people. About half of the hostages were released during a week-long ceasefire in November, but over 130 remain, with about a quarter believed to be dead.
US Rejects Gaza Ceasefire Amid Humanitarian Crisis.
The situation is further complicated by the fact that the Palestinian health official, Khalil Degran, has reported that over 100 wounded people have also arrived at Al-Aqsa Hospital, in addition to the 94 bodies. The hospital is overwhelmed, and the situation is critical.
Meanwhile, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant has vowed that the army will continue to fight until all the hostages are returned. The conflict has also led to a growing pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to end the fighting in Gaza.
As the situation remains dire, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to return to the Middle East next week to seek a breakthrough in the stalled ceasefire negotiations. The war has already left a trail of destruction, with hundreds of thousands of Palestinians displaced and infrastructure destroyed. The international community is urging Israel to limit civilian casualties and find a solution to the crisis.
