Hostilities in the Gaza Strip and Israel | Flash Update #17 [EN/AR/HE]

KEY POINTS

• Intense airstrikes continued across the Gaza Strip, where 436 Palestinians have been killed over the past 24 hours (as of 17:00 on 23 October), according to the Ministry of Health (MoH) in Gaza. The cumulative reported fatality toll among Palestinians in Gaza surpassed today 5,000, of whom 62 per cent are children and women, according to MoH. About 1,500 people have been reported missing and are presumed to be trapped or dead under the rubble.

• On 23 October, the Rafah crossing with Egypt opened for the third consecutive day, allowing the entry of 20 trucks carrying food, water and medical supplies. This is equivalent to about four per cent of the daily average volume of commodities entering Gaza prior to the hostilities. None of the aid shipments have included desperately needed fuel to power hospitals and water facilities.

• The shortage of clean potable water, alongside water consumption from unsafe sources, remains a major concern. Since 22 October, the volume of water supplied from Israel to the western Khan Younis area declined by 20 per cent; water supply via two other pipelines from Israel to central and northern Gaza is suspended since 8 October.

• On 23 October, five hospitals erected tents within their compounds to cope with overcrowding. Shifa hospital, the largest in the Gaza Strip, is currently treating some 5,000 patients, significantly over its capacity of 700 patients, and hosting about 45,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs). Since 7 October, 12 hospitals and 46 primary care clinics across Gaza have been forced to shut down due to damage they had sustained or lack of electricity and supplies.

• There are an estimated 1.4 million IDPs in Gaza, with nearly 590,000 sheltering in 150 UNRWA-designated emergency shelters (DES). Overcrowding is a growing concern, as the average number of IDPs per shelter has reached more than 2.5 times their designated capacity.

• Palestinian armed groups’ indiscriminate rocket firing towards Israeli population centres continued. Overall, about 1,400 Israelis and foreign nationals have been killed since 7 October, according to the Israeli authorities, the vast majority on the first day. Israeli media reported that, as of 23 October, the names of 855 of these fatalities have been released. Of those whose ages have been provided, 28 are children.

• According to the Israeli authorities, at least 220 people are currently held captive in Gaza, including Israelis and foreign nationals. The UN Secretary-General has called upon Hamas to release hostages immediately and unconditionally. Two hostages with United States citizenship were released on 20 October, and two Israelis were reportedly released on 23 October.

• In the West Bank, since the afternoon of 22 October, Israeli forces have killed four Palestinians, including one child. This brings the number of Palestinian fatalities by Israeli forces or settlers since 7 October to 95, including 28 children.

• At least 82 Palestinian households, comprising 607 people, over half of whom are children, have been displaced from 13 herding/Bedouin communities in Area C of the West Bank since 7 October, amid intensified settler violence and access restrictions.

• So far, Member States have pledged nearly US$100 million for the inter-agency Flash Appeal launched on 12 October to address humanitarian needs stemming from the current crisis, which would cover about 34 per cent of the total requirement ($294 million).