Live Updates: Death toll from Israel's war on Gaza rises to 33,970

Thursday, April 18, 2024

11:39 GMT — The Health Ministry in Gaza has said that at least 33,970 people have been killed in the territory during more than six months of Israel's war on Gaza.

The toll includes at least 71 deaths over the past 24 hours, a ministry statement said, adding that 76,770 people have been wounded in Gaza since the war began on October 7.

11:55 GMT — Thousands lack proper healthcare services in northern Gaza: ministry

More than 730,000 people lack proper healthcare services in northern Gaza, the Health Ministry has warned.

"The Israeli occupation deliberately destroyed the healthcare system in Gaza City and the northern provinces," ministry spokesperson Ashraf Al Qudra said in a statement.

He said the destruction of al-Shifa Hospital, the largest medical facility in Gaza, "has dealt a deadly blow to the healthcare system in Gaza." "This has left more than 730,000 people in northern Gaza without real healthcare services," he added.

11:44 GMT — UN experts express 'deep' concern over 'systemic destruction' of schools in Gaza

UN experts have expressed "deep" concern over attacks on schools, universities, teachers, and students in Gaza, raising alarm over the "systemic destruction" of the Palestinian education system.

"With more than 80 percent of schools in Gaza damaged or destroyed, it may be reasonable to ask if there is an intentional effort to comprehensively destroy the Palestinian education system, an action known as 'scholasticide'," the experts said in a statement.

The term "scholasticide" refers to a "systemic obliteration of education through the arrest, detention or killing of teachers, students and staff, and the destruction of educational infrastructure," they said.

11:17 GMT — Irish activist accuses European Commission head of ‘enabling genocide’ in Gaza

A prominent Irish activist and author, has attempted to put European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen under "citizen arrest," accusing her of "enabling genocide" in Gaza.

"In my opinion, Ursula von der Leyen should be arrested by the real law and order authorities for enabling the genocide in Gaza. Genocide is regarded as the worst possible crime. And she did enable the genocide in Gaza with the trip she made in October, and indeed by subsequent statements that she had reiterated her total solidarity for Israel as it commits genocide in Gaza," he told Anadolu.

10:35 GMT — Chinese top envoy criticises US role in Gaza talks

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi attacked the United States for earlier blocking United Nations resolutions calling for a ceasefire in Gaza after a meeting with his counterpart in Indonesia.

The Chinese and Indonesian foreign ministers reiterated their countries' calls for an immediate and lasting ceasefire in Gaza after a meeting in Jakarta, condemning the humanitarian costs of Israel's ongoing war.

10:25 GMT — Israel arrests dozens more Palestinians in military raids in occupied West Bank

At least 40 more Palestinians were detained in Israeli military raids in the occupied West Bank, according to prisoners’ affairs groups.

Several children were among the detainees, the Commission of Detainees’ Affairs and the Palestinian Prisoner Society said in a joint statement.

The new wave of arrests brought to 8,310 the number of Palestinians detained by the Israeli army in the West Bank since last October, according to Palestinian figures.

10:10 GMT — Israeli army leaves trail of destruction in Gaza refugee camp

The Israeli army withdrew from the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, leaving behind the bodies of several Palestinians and a trail of destruction, the Palestinian Civil Defense Agency said.

The Israeli army withdrew from the northern part of the camp on Wednesday following an 8-day military assault.

“Several victims were retrieved by civil defense teams, while many others are still under the rubble,” the agency said in a statement.

The civil defense agency said heavy machinery is needed to extract the bodies of dead people from under the debris of destroyed buildings.

According to Gaza’s government media office, 75 people were killed, 348 injured and 100 others went missing during the Israeli operation, in addition to the destruction of 13,000 housing units in the camp.

09:11 GMT — Egypt, Bahrain call for Gaza ceasefire, full UN membership for Palestine

Egypt and Bahrain have called for a ceasefire in Gaza, which has been witnessing an Israeli war for over six months, and for Palestine to be accepted as a full member of the UN.

This came during a meeting between Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al Sisi and Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, according to the Bahrain News Agency.

The two emphasised the “need to de-escalate the situation in the region and adopt tangible political, diplomatic solutions to meet the aspirations of the region’s peoples for more security, stability and prosperity,” it said.

05:23 GMT — UNRWA warns against its dismantling as sought by Israel

Dismantling the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, as sought by Israel, would accelerate besieged Gaza's slide into starvation and doom generations of children to despair, the organisation's head warned.

Director Philippe Lazzarini told the UN Security Council that the agency is the backbone of UN humanitarian operations in Gaza.

Referring to Israel, he said there is an "insidious campaign" under way to dismantle UNRWA and that this would have lasting consequences.

04:40 GMT — Israel kills seven civilians in Rafah strikes

Seven civilians, including a woman and three children, have been killed in Israeli air strikes in southern Gaza, Palestine's official news agency reported.

WAFA citing its correspondent said Israeli warplanes targeted a site and a residential structure sheltering displaced persons in the city of Rafah, killing seven civilians, including a woman and three children.

04:21 GMT — Uncertainty surrounds UN Palestinian membership vote

The Security Council vote on the Palestinians' bid to become a full member state of the United Nations is expected to occur Thursday or Friday, diplomats said, as discussions continued.

Several diplomatic sources had told the AFP news agency earlier that the vote would take place on Thursday, but the situation has since changed with some member states asking for a Friday vote.

No firm decision had been taken, according to several diplomatic sources.

03:26 GMT — Algeria gives UNRWA $15 mln as exceptional fund, state TV says

Algeria has given the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) a $15 million exceptional fund, Algerian state TV said early.

UNRWA provides aid and essential services to Palestinian refugees in besieged Gaza, the Israeli-occupied West Bank and across the wider region.

02:30 GMT — Türkiye expresses 'solid, unwavering' support for UNRWA

Türkiye expressed its solid and unwavering support for the UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA).

Speaking at a UN Security Council session on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question, Deputy Foreign Minister Ahmet Yildiz conveyed his appreciation to UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini for "his efforts to fulfil UNRWA's mandate under extremely challenging circumstances."

Noting that "the suffering in the Occupied Palestinian Territories is at unprecedented levels," Yildiz stressed that the occupied West Bank "is under immense tension with settler violence and growing Israeli atrocities against the Palestinian people."

With illegal settlements, the demolition of houses, expulsions and land confiscations continuing daily, he reminded that at least 7,000 people had been arrested since October 7 "for no reason."

"Gaza faces the most formidable man-made disaster in modern ages. Unseen destruction and massacres take place before our eyes. It is tormenting, heart-breaking," he stressed.

Expressing Türkiye's "solid, unwavering" support for UNRWA, he further called on member states to "ensure that UNRWA continues its critical work."

For our live updates from Wednesday, April 17, click here.