The Palestinian death toll from the ongoing Israeli military offensive in the Gaza Strip has climbed to 9,227, the Health Ministry in the blockaded enclave said Friday.
“The victims include 3,826 children and 2,405 women, while 23,516 other people were injured,” ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra told a news conference in Gaza City.
He said 2,100 people are still trapped under the rubble in Gaza, including 1,200 children.
“The Israeli attacks left 136 medics dead and 25 ambulances destroyed,” al-Qudra said.
“Sixteen massacres have been documented within the past hours, taking 196 victims, raising the total number of massacres committed by the occupation to 997,” he added.
He said Israeli forces have targeted more than 102 health care facilities in Gaza since Oct. 7, even though under the rules of war, such facilities should be exempt from attacks.
“Some 16 hospitals and 32 primary care centers were forced out of service due to the Israeli assault and fuel shortage,” he added.
West Bank toll rises
Meanwhile, at least eight people were killed in Israeli military operations in the occupied West Bank on Friday, according to Palestinian officials.
Five of them were killed during the night in the Jenin refugee camp, the Ministry of Health in Ramallah said.
According to the Health Ministry, two Palestinians were shot dead south of Hebron and one was killed in the village of Qalandiya.
According to the Health Ministry in the West Bank – which is a separate entity from the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry in Gaza – 140 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank so far. A Palestinian who was injured in clashes near Nablus a few days ago died in hospital this morning.
Since the beginning of the year, 336 Palestinians have died in Israeli military operations in the West Bank. Human rights organizations say this is the highest number for more than 15 years.
