On Saturday, Israel escalated its onslaught against Hamas militants in Gaza after the US thwarted an exceptional UN move to demand a ceasefire in the two-month conflict.
The US veto was promptly slammed by Hamas and the Palestinian Authority, as the Hamas-run health ministry estimated the latest death toll in Gaza at 17,487 individuals, the majority of whom were women and children.
Six people were murdered in an Israeli strike on the southern city of Khan Yunis, while five more were killed in a second incident near Rafah, according to the ministry on Saturday.
Israel has threatened to eliminate Hamas following an extraordinary raid on October 7 in which militants smashed through Gaza’s militarized border, killing around 1,200 people and seizing hostages, 138 of whom remain captive, according to Israeli data.
Large portions of Gaza have been reduced to rubble, and the UN estimates that over 80% of the population has been displaced, with severe food, fuel, water, and medication shortages reported.
Also read: United States Disapproves Of Immediate Gaza Ceasefire At UN Meeting
