The Health Ministry in Gaza reported that the Palestinian death toll from Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip has reached 17,177 since October 7, with a significant portion of the victims being children and women.
According to Philippines News Agency, Ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra, in a press conference, stated that around 70 percent of the victims are children and women. He also reported that 46,000 people have been injured during the attacks on the blockaded Palestinian territory. Al-Qudra highlighted the devastating impact on healthcare services, including the death of 290 medics, destruction of 102 ambulances, and targeting of 160 healthcare centers. Additionally, 20 hospitals and 46 primary care centers were forced out of service. He mentioned challenges in accurately counting the casualties due to ongoing attacks and a communications blackout. The recent Israeli military offensive in Gaza resumed on December 1, following a week-long humanitarian pause with Hamas. The Israeli campaign against Gaza began after a cross-border attack by Hamas on October 7, which resulted in 1,200 Israeli deaths, as reported by official figures.