ISRAELI strikes have killed at least 16 Palestinians in the last 24 hours, as the United Nations (UN) was urged to issue an official declaration of famine in the Gaza Strip.
Attacks carried out from early on Thursday morning in central and southern Gaza are reported to have killed at least 16 Palestinians and injured 77 more, furthering the humanitarian crisis caused by Israel's blockade on emergency aid.
Israeli forces struck a house in Khan Younis, killing at least five members of the Abou Sahloul family, as well as three farmers in another residential part of the area, Al Jazeera reports.
Palestinian health ministers estimate 2326 people have been killed since Israel broke the ceasefire agreement between the territories on March 18.
The UN's Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA) said 3000 aid trucks are stuck at the Gaza border and residents are now resorting to looting as existing food supplies are “exhausted”.
It comes as the director of Gaza's Health Ministry, Dr Munir al-Bursh, called on the UN to make an official declaration of famine in the Gaza Strip.
He said: "We call on the United Nations to issue an official declaration of famine in Gaza, given that field indicators and medical and humanitarian data confirm that international conditions for this have been met."
On Monday, the UN's top court – the International Court of Justice – heard that Israel is "starving, killing and displacing Palestinians" while also targeting and blocking humanitarian organisations.
And on Thursday, the UK's Foreign Office announced that the UK is increasing medical support for Gaza, posting on Twitter/X: “The healthcare system in Gaza is near collapse.
“Aid supplies must be allowed in, medical workers protected, and the sick and wounded allowed to temporarily leave Gaza for treatment.”
It comes as two Palestinian children arrived in London on Wednesday evening to receive urgent medical care, Sky News reports.
Ghena, five, needs urgent treatment to save her vision in her left eye due to fluid pressing on her optic nerve.
Rama, 12, requires an operation on her bowel as she is so malnourished and struggles to keep down food.
Since October 7, 2023, Israel's war on Gaza has killed more than 52,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, destroying vast areas of Gaza and displacing most of its population.
