Israel is destroying Gaza City, death toll rises to 63,557

In the past 24 hours, the bodies of 98 Palestinians killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza have been brought to hospitals, and at least 404 others have been injured. In addition, nine others, including three children, have died due to the imposed famine.

The Gaza Health Ministry said that the death toll from Israeli attacks in the past 22 months has reached 63,557, with at least 160,660 injured. On the other hand, 347 people, 127 of whom are children, have died of starvation in the enclave declared by the United Nations as a full-scale famine.

"Many of the injured are still trapped under the rubble and on the road. As a result, rescuers are unable to reach them. Therefore, the actual casualties will be higher," the ministry said.

Qatar-based media outlet Al Jazeera reported that Israel has intensified its destruction of Gaza City, capturing Gaza's largest urban center and forcibly displacing nearly a million Palestinians there to the west and south. They are destroying Palestinian homes with tank shelling and gunfire in the largest ground operation, continuous air and drone strikes, and the use of "explosive robots" in residential areas. It has even continued to attack tents in refugee camps that shelter the displaced, forcing them to starve, pushing the 2.4 million residents of the besieged valley to the brink of famine.

Turkish media outlet Anadolu reported that Israel's coordinated attacks were part of "Operation Gideon's Chariot 2," which began in Zaytunpara on August 21 to capture Gaza City. Thousands of Palestinians have been displaced from northeastern Gaza City to the west under heavy shelling by Israeli forces since Tel Aviv declared Gaza City, home to nearly a million Palestinians, a "dangerous war zone" on August 29. International media are reporting that Gaza City, once full of residential buildings and crowded, is now a "ruined and sparsely populated" city.

On Sunday (August 31), 52 people lost their lives to shelling by Israeli forces throughout the day. The remaining 46 people were killed and more than 239 were injured when Israeli forces opened fire on them while they were collecting humanitarian aid at the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) relief center. Since the establishment of the Israeli- and US-backed GHF on May 27, the number of aid seekers killed has reached 2,294, with at least 16,839 injured.

On October 7, 2023, Hamas attacked the Gaza Strip, killing 1,200 Israelis and taking 251 hostages. About 50 are still being held captive in Gaza. At least 20 of them are believed to be alive. Israel is continuing its military operation across Gaza, claiming to rescue them.

Despite announcing a ceasefire on January 19 of this year under pressure from the United States and other mediating countries, Israel has been conducting military operations again since March 18. So far, 11,426 Palestinians have been killed and 48,619 injured in this second phase of the operation.