Israel's relentless retaliatory assault in the Gaza Strip has killed nearly 34,000 Palestinians since Hamas militants' Oct. 7 attacks on Israeli communities, the territory's Health Ministry said in a statement Thursday.
During the past 24 hours, the Israeli army killed 71 Palestinians and wounded 106 others in the coastal enclave, bringing the total death toll to 33,970 and injuries to 76,770, according to the Hamas-run ministry.
The statement noted that some victims remained under the rubble amid heavy bombardment and a lack of civil defense and ambulance crews.
In a separate statement, ministry spokesman Ashraf Al-Qedra said that the Israeli army had "destroyed" the health system in northern Gaza, leaving some 700,000 people without health services.
He called for the provision of field hospitals and international multi-specialized medical teams to meet the needs of the local population.
Israel's siege, bombardment and ground offensive have also created a catastrophic humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, including what the United Nations calls "a man-made crisis of near starvation".
The World Food Programme said Thursday in a statement that three convoys of aid trucks with food and wheat flour for nearly 80,000 people crossed into north Gaza from the Erez crossing, the main crossing point from Israel into northern Gaza, for the first time.
The only way to alleviate famine in the Gaza Strip is to restore unhindered humanitarian access and to reach a humanitarian ceasefire, the UN food agency said.
Palestinian death toll in Gaza nears 34,000: ministry
At least 181 people have been killed in devastating flooding triggered by heavy rains in Kenya, the government said on Wednesday.
Government spokesman Isaac Mwaura said that 90 people were reported missing nationwide, and 124 people have been injured and are receiving treatment in various health facilities.
The heavy rains and flooding have displaced 188,000 people, prompting the government to establish a displacement camp to provide alternative accommodation, he said in a statement issued in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya.
The government has put in place measures to support evacuation and temporary shelter for those affected, with public spaces identified for temporary shelter and provision of essential supplies.
The Cabinet also disclosed that water levels at Masinga and Kiambere dams have reached historic highs. Masinga recorded its highest levels ever, surpassing those recorded on May 7, 2020. Similarly, Kiambere Dam registered its highest levels ever on April 26, surpassing the previous historic levels recorded on Nov 29, 1997.
A dam burst on Sunday night in the town of Mai Mahiu, about 60 kilometers north of Nairobi, killed 48 people and affected many others. Meantime, the resultant effects downstream, especially in Garissa and Tana River counties in eastern Kenya, could worsen the already dire situation, the Cabinet said.
Large swathes of land along Kenya's longest Tana River are currently submerged, displacing thousands of people and impacting lives and livelihoods.
Residents of the two affected counties and those living near other dams and water reservoirs must evacuate in accordance with the Cabinet's directive.
Rescue workers fear that the death toll could rise as the ongoing heavy rainfall is expected to continue this week, with floods and landslides predicted in some areas. Roads and bridges have been washed away, leaving several parts of the country inaccessible and disrupting business. The government's national multi-agency emergency response committee is working on various initiatives to help those affected by the floods.
Death toll from Kenya floods reaches 181, evacuations underway
