According to the health ministry in Gaza, the death toll has risen to at least 17,487, including more than 4,000 children and 2,500 women.
More than 50,000 people have been injured, many of them critically.
The ministry spokesman, Ashraf al-Qudra, said that the health system is on the verge of collapse, as hospitals and clinics are overwhelmed with casualties and lack basic supplies and equipment.
“Every day we are losing dozens of wounded due to a lack of care and delay in getting them out of Gaza,” al-Qudra said. “We are facing a real massacre and a genocide against our people.”
The conflict between Israel and Hamas has entered its fourth week, with no sign of a ceasefire or a diplomatic solution.
The humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip is worsening by the day, as the Israeli air strikes and artillery shelling continue to target civilian infrastructure and residential areas.
The United Nations estimates that more than 500,000 people have been displaced by the violence, and that 80% of the population is in need of humanitarian assistance.
The UN has warned of a looming water and sanitation crisis, as the Israeli attacks have damaged the power grid, water pipes, sewage systems, and desalination plants.
Human rights groups and international observers have accused Israel of violating the laws of war and committing war crimes, as many of the strikes have hit schools, hospitals, mosques, media offices, and refugee camps.
