Palestinian death toll in Gaza rises to 56,412 as UNRWA cites severe health crisis

The Palestinian death toll in the war-torn Gaza Strip has risen to 56,412, with 133,054 others injured since the outbreak of the conflict between Hamas and Israel on October 7, 2023, Gaza's health authorities said on Saturday.

In the past 24 hours alone, Israeli attacks have claimed 81 more Palestinian lives and left 422 others injured, according to the same source.

A report released on Friday by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) stated that the health response in the Gaza Strip has been severely hampered by damaged facilities, movement restrictions, and limited access to medical supplies and fuel.

Nearly half, or 49 percent, of essential medical supplies are currently out of stock, and over one-fifth, or 21 percent, are projected to run out within the next two months, according to the report.

The report also cited data from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) that "people are confined to ever-shrinking spaces, with 82.6 per cent of the Gaza Strip now within the Israeli-militarized zone, under displacement orders, or where these overlap."

The UN estimates that more than 684,000 people have been displaced yet again since the breakdown of the ceasefire agreement in March, the report said.

Since the beginning of the conflict, 331 UNRWA facilities have been affected by armed conflict-related incidents.

The report noted that at least 812 people have been killed while seeking shelter in these facilities, and at least 2,500 others have been injured.

Palestinian death toll in Gaza rises to 56,412 as UNRWA cites severe health crisis

Palestinian death toll in Gaza rises to 56,412 as UNRWA cites severe health crisis

Palestinian death toll in Gaza rises to 56,412 as UNRWA cites severe health crisis

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned on Sunday that Tehran would view the United States and Israel's military bases and facilities in the Middle East as "legitimate targets" should Washington take military action against Iran.

At a parliamentary session convened to review an emergency proposal on assembly regulations, Qalibaf emphasized that, at this highly sensitive juncture, Iran must accurately and thoroughly identify the schemes of its adversaries.

Qalibaf said that Iran is currently confronting Israel and the United States simultaneously on four fronts: economic, cognitive, military, and counterterrorism. Of them, the economic warfare and the cognitive and psychological warfare began many years ago and have persisted to this day, growing increasingly complex and intense in recent years.

The remarks came as U.S. President Donald Trump is reportedly "seriously considering authorizing a strike" against Iran, taking advantage of its nationwide unrest.

Protests have erupted in several Iranian cities since late December over the sharp fall of the rial and long-standing economic hardship. Iranian authorities have acknowledged the demonstrations and voiced willingness to address economic grievances, while warning against violence and vandalism.

Amid the ongoing protests, deadly clashes have been reported lately between police and what the government described as "rioters." However, no official death toll has been released.

Also on Sunday, Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian will address the country's economic situation and political environment in a televised interview later that day.

Iran swears to counterattack if attacked