Gaza strip death toll crosses to 300
Gaza/Jerusalem: Israeli military killed 26 Palestinians, including eight members of a family, in overnight raids on the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, taking the death toll to over 300 in the 12-day long conflict that has displaced thousands of people. According to the sources, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon left for the region on Saturday to help end conflict between Israel and Palestinians.
An Israeli soldier has been killed and five others injured since the launch of its first massive ground offensive in the Gaza Strip in five years this week.
Israeli forces backed by artillery and air strikes launched the ground offensive on Thursday with the army saying the objective is to strike a ‘significant blow to Hamas’.
Israel withdrew ground troops from Gaza in September 2005, and last mounted a major ground operation in 2009.
More than 300 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have been killed and over 2,200 injured in the Israeli attacks.
Over 40,000 have been displaced in Gaza since the start of Israeli operation, UN sources said.
The displaced have taken refuge in 34 UN shelters “where relief workers are facing a tough challenge providing them basic necessities under difficult conditions,” a Gaza-based UN source said.
The number of people in Gaza seeking sanctuary from the conflict with Israel nearly doubled on Friday, UN said.
“The Secretary-General is extremely concerned that this escalation will further increase the already appalling death toll among Gazan civilians,” Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Jeffrey Feltman said.
Feltman said Ban is currently reviewing a request by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas which would place Palestine under an international protection system administered by UN.
