More than 2 million residents in Gaza lack necessities: Red Cross

GENEVA

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said Thursday that the number of residents in the besieged Gaza Strip who lack necessities has surpassed 2 million.

"Tonight in Gaza, hundreds of thousands have nowhere to sleep," the ICRC wrote on X. "More than 2 million people lack basic necessities, water and electricity."

"Civilians must be spared from the effects of hostilities,” it said, noting that ambulances cannot reach wounded victims.

Israeli forces launched a sustained and forceful military campaign against the Gaza Strip in response to a military offensive by the Palestinian group Hamas in Israeli territories.

The conflict began when Hamas initiated Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, a multi-pronged surprise attack, on Saturday, including a barrage of rocket launches and infiltrations into Israel via land, sea and air.

Hamas said the offensive was in retaliation for the storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem and Israeli settlers’ growing violence against Palestinians.

The Israeli military then launched Operation Swords of Iron against Hamas targets within the Gaza Strip.

That response has extended to cutting water and electricity supplies to Gaza, further worsening living conditions in an area that has reeled under a crippling siege since 2007.

The number of Palestinians killed from Israeli attacks on the besieged Gaza Strip has risen to 1,537, the Health Ministry in Gaza announced Thursday.

Meanwhile, the Israeli death toll has reached 1,300.