The Palestinian death toll in the Gaza Strip has risen to 59,587, with 143,498 injured since the conflict between Hamas and Israel erupted in October 2023, Gaza's health authorities said in a statement on Thursday.
In the past 24 hours, Israeli military operations in the enclave have claimed 89 lives and injured another 453, with 23 deaths among those who were receiving aid supplies, according to the statement.
According to a report released by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs on Thursday, overall assistance to Gaza remains woefully inadequate, despite aid supplies such as flour entering Gaza through the Kerem Shalom and Erez crossings.
The report said that as the conflict persists, Gazans are facing death, hunger, displacement, and psychological trauma.
Humanitarian agencies have highlighted a sharp increase in malnourished children in Gaza. In the first two weeks of July, among 56,000 children under the age of five screened in Gaza City, Deir al-Balah, and Khan Younis, nearly 5,000 were found to be suffering from acute malnutrition. This marks a surge in the proportion from 2.4 percent in February to 9 percent.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East said that one-fifth of children in Gaza City are malnourished.
Meanwhile, humanitarian operations continue to face severe obstacles. Only eight out of the 16 aid missions coordinated on Wednesday were permitted to proceed, while the retrieval of essential medical supplies was refused.
The United Nations is urging an immediate ceasefire and the opening of humanitarian corridors to prevent the humanitarian crisis in Gaza from deteriorating further.
Palestinian death toll in Gaza rises to 59,587
