GAZA — Hamas declared the Gaza Strip a “disaster zone”, warning of an unprecedented catastrophe that threatens the lives of its over 2.4 million people, as widespread destruction continues and essential resources run out.
In a press statement, the Hamas-run media office said more than 61,709 people in Gaza have been killed, including 47,487 confirmed dead in hospitals, while 14,222 remain missing under the rubble. The number of injured has reached 111,588, it added.
The war has also displaced over 2 million Palestinians, with many forced to flee multiple times, Xinhua news agency reported.
The office reported that 450,000 housing units have been damaged in the war, including 170,000 utterly destroyed. The brutal war also crippled the healthcare system, forcing 34 hospitals and 80 healthcare centres out of service.
The statement estimated economic losses at over $50 billion, citing the destruction of industrial, commercial, agricultural, healthcare, education, and communications sectors.
The statement warned that the humanitarian situation in Gaza is worsening due to the ongoing Israeli blockade, which has resulted in severe shortages of food, water, and medicine, putting hundreds of thousands of lives at risk.
It urged the United Nations and other international organisations to immediately deliver humanitarian aid and ensure civilian protection under international law.
The office also accused Israel of committing “systematic war crimes” with US support, calling on the international community to hold those responsible accountable.
Earlier tens of thousands of Palestinians began returning to their homes in Gaza City and the northern parts of the coastal enclave after 15 months of forced displacement.
Under the agreement, Israel has permitted displaced residents to return to the northern Gaza Strip. –IANS
