More than 270 people, including children and other non-combatants, were killed on Saturday during heavy fighting between Israeli forces and Hamas militants in and around the Nuseirat refugee camp, in the central area of the war-torn enclave, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. More than 600 were reportedly injured as hospitals were overwhelmed.
Emergency response coordinator Martin Griffiths said in a post on the epicenter of the seismic trauma that civilians in Gaza continue to suffer.”
“When we see shrouded bodies on the ground, we are reminded of that nowhere is safe in Gaza,” he continued.
Dozens of hostages are still being held
The head of Humanitarian Affairs said that even as the four hostages were reunited with their families in Israel thanks to the military operation, “dozens of people are still being held captive. They should all be released.”
In a tweet On Saturday, following news of the hostages’ release, UN chief António Guterres said he had sent messages to the relatives of Noa Argamani and Shalomi Ziv – some of whom he had received at the UN last week – expressing his relief express.
“I renew my call for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages and for an end to this war”, said the Secretary General.
Mr Griffiths claimed that “all citizens must be protected. This collective agony can and must end now.”
The emergency response chief added that seeing the video footage of the scene of the shrouded bodies in the Nuseirat camp reminded us that nowhere is safe in the enclave, where Israel has carried out a nine-month offensive since the Hamas-led led terrorist attacks of October 7. .
Palestinian militants took more than 250 people hostage in southern Israel that day, massacring around 1,200. More than 40 hostages are believed to have died so far, while more than 110 are said to remain.
Healthcare ‘hanging by a thread’
“Seeing bloodied patients being treated on hospital floors, we are reminded that healthcare in Gaza is hanging by a thread.”
Video footage from Al-Aqsa Hospital in the aftermath of the fighting and bombardment shows numerous victims lying on the ground, while the director of Al-Adwa Hospital in Nuseirat reported that there was no mortuary available at the hospital is to house the bodies of the dead.
Negotiations for a comprehensive ceasefire and hostage agreement between Israel and Hamas continue, but a US-led proposal presented on May 31 has not been accepted by either side.
