
KEY POINTS
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Hundreds of fatalities in Al Ahli Arab hospital in Gaza were reported as this Flash Update was being finalized (22:00). The compound hosted patients and internally displaced persons (IDPs) seeking safe shelter.
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As hostilities entered the eleventh day, heavy Israeli bombardments on Gaza, from the air, sea and land, have continued almost uninterrupted. In the last 20 hours (as of 17:30), 192 Palestinians have been killed, bringing the cumulative fatality toll in the Gaza Strip to 3,000, including at least 853 children, according to the Ministry of Health in Gaza (excluding Al Ahli hospital casualties). Hundreds of additional fatalities are believed to be trapped under the rubble.
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The number of IDPs in Gaza is estimated at about one million, including about 352,000 IDPs staying in UNRWA schools in central and southern Gaza alone, in increasingly dire conditions. This afternoon (17 October), an UNRWA school in Al Maghazi refugee camp in central Gaza, sheltering some 4,000 IDPs, was hit during an Israeli airstrike, killing at least six people.
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The Spokesperson for the UN Human Rights Office stated on Tuesday that there are “appalling reports that civilians attempting to relocate to southern Gaza were struck and killed by an explosive weapon,” and urged Israel “to avoid targeting civilians and civilian objects or conducting area bombardments, indiscriminate or disproportionate attacks.” The complete siege of Gaza continues. The Rafah Crossing has remained closed, preventing the entry of desperately needed humanitarian aid, including food, water and medicines awaiting on the Egyptian side.
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The UN Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs stressed today (17 October) the need for a humanitarian suspension of hostilities enabling the delivery of aid, along with some respite from the bloodshed.
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Gaza has been under full electricity blackout for the seventh consecutive day. Today, the World Health Organization (WHO) managed to deliver locally stored fuel to Gaza’s largest hospital (Shifa), enabling the operation of generators for a few more days. Other hospitals are operating at a bare minimum capacity.
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The average water consumption for all needs (drinking, cooking and hygiene) is currently estimated at three litres per day per person in Gaza. There is increasing water consumption from unsafe sources, placing the population at risk of death or infectious disease outbreak.
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The Palestinian armed groups’ indiscriminate rocket firing towards Israeli population centres continued, with no new Israeli fatalities reported (as of 21:00 17 October). Overall, more than 1,300 Israelis and foreign nationals have been killed in Israel, according to Israeli authorities, the vast majority on 7 October.
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At least 199 people are held captive in Gaza, including Israelis and foreign nationals. On 16 October, UN’s emergency relief chief Martin Griffiths expressed deep concern about the deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza and about the fate of Israeli hostages, stressing that “they have to be let out straight away.” In the West Bank, since the afternoon of 15 October, Israeli forces have killed three Palestinians, bringing the fatality toll by Israeli forces and settlers since 7 October to 61, including 16 children.
Disclaimer
- UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
- To learn more about OCHA's activities, please visit https://www.unocha.org/.