UN officials warned that generators powering hospitals in Gaza are set to run out of fuel and the enclave has only a few days worth of food supply remaining as efforts to deliver aid to civilians in the Palestinian territory remain stuck over Israeli fears that it could be used by Hamas.
Palestinian rescuers douse a fire at the scene of an Israeli strike in Khan Yunis in the southern ... [+]
In its daily update, the UN’s Palestinian refugee agency said fuel reserves at all hospitals across Gaza “are expected to last for an additional 24 hours only” and shutdown of generators powering these hospitals would “place the lives of thousands of patients at serious risk.”
The agency also said the Israeli Air Force was carrying out bombings in southern areas of Gaza—including Khan Younis—despite previously asking civilians to move to the south.
Authorities in Gaza also accused Israel of bombing Khan Younis and Rafah in the south and killing at least 72 people.
The Israeli Defence Force has not commented on this report, but they have previously said their airstrikes intend to target Hamas sites.
The UN’s World Food Program also warned that shops across Gaza only have around four to five days' worth of essential food supplies remaining.
On Monday, Hamas released a video of a 21-year-old French-Israeli woman, Mia Schem, who is being held hostage in Gaza. In the video, the first footage of any of the hostages released by Hamas, Schem says she was injured and wants to return to her family. Since the release of the video, Schem’s mother has appealed to world leaders to seek her daughter’s release. Later on Monday, key Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal indicated that the group will use the hostages to secure the release of Palestinians from Israeli jails. The video has come under scathing criticism from both Israeli officials and French President Emmanuel Macron. Macron’s office said: “It is an ignominy to take innocent people hostage and put them on show in this odious way,” and demanded Schem’s immediate and unconditional release.
“There’s no question in my mind that that woman gave that video testimony under duress, probably forced to do it…It’s a propaganda video,” White House National Security spokesperson John Kirby said on NBC’s Today show Tuesday “It’s despicable, deplorable that they would take these hostages and then advertise how well they’re treating them when they’re the ones who hurt them in the first place.”