London, (The Muslim News): 81 Palestinians have been killed and 116 others injured by Israeli indiscriminate bombings in the past 24 hours in Gaza Strip according to Ministry of Health (MoH) in Gaza. New figures for total Palestinians killed since 7 October 2023 to at least 31,726, including over 13,000 children and 73,792 Palestinians injured in Gaza Strip according to MoH in Gaza. 8,500 Palestinians are missing.

Intense Israeli bombardment and ground operations as well as heavy fighting between Israeli forces and Palestinian armed groups continue to be reported across much of the Gaza Strip, particularly near Al Shifa hospital in Al Rimal area of Gaza city and in Deir al Balah. This has resulted in further civilian casualties, displacement, and destruction of houses and other civilian infrastructure, according to UN Office of Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

According to the latest findings of the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis released on 18 March, nearly the entire population of Gaza is currently facing crisis (IPC Phase 3) or worse levels of food insecurity, including 876,000 facing emergency (IPC Phase 4) levels of food insecurity and 677,000 facing catastrophic (IPC Phase 5) levels of food insecurity. The fast-deteriorating food security conditions, including a nearly 80 per cent increase in the number of people facing catastrophic levels of food insecurity (677,000 vs. 378,000) have been triggered by the intensity of hostilities, extremely limited humanitarian access, and severe limitations on the supply of goods and basic services, according to the report

In the early morning hours of 18 March, the Israeli military announced the initiation of an operation in the area Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza city, citing intelligence information suggesting the military use of the hospital by Palestinian armed groups. The Israeli army also reportedly distributed leaflets instructing Internally Displaced Peoples (IDPs) at and near the facility, as well as the residents of Al Rimal neighbourhood, to immediately evacuate to Al Mawasi area in southern Gaza.

According to MoH in Gaza, a fire erupted at the entrance to the surgeries department building, resulting in multiple fatalities and injuries. Expressing concern about the safety of health workers, patients and civilians, the Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO) stated: “Hospitals should never be battlegrounds…The hospital has only recently restored minimal health services. Any hostilities or militarization of the facility jeopardize health services, access for ambulances, and delivery of life-saving supplies. Hospitals must be protected. Ceasefire!”

Meanwhile Israeli forces severely beat and detained Al Jazeera journalist Ismail al-Ghoul during raid on Gaza City’s al-Shifa Hospital. Media network and press freedom groups call for the immediate release of reporter, according to Al Jazeera. Israeli forces have destroyed the broadcasting vehicles of press crews at al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza. The hospital was a base for journalists to report from throughout Israel’s war on the Gaza Strip.

The medical complex’s courtyard has been bulldozed, while the Israeli army has opened fire towards its buildings warning those inside it not to approach the windows, witnesses said.

Intense Israeli bombardment and ground operations as well as heavy fighting between Israeli forces and Palestinian armed groups continue to be reported across much of the Gaza Strip, particularly near Al Shifa hospital in Al Rimal area of Gaza city and in Deir al Balah. This has resulted in further civilian casualties, displacement, and destruction of houses and other civilian infrastructure

According to the latest findings of the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis released on 18 March, nearly the entire population of Gaza is currently facing crisis (IPC Phase 3) or worse levels of food insecurity, including 876,000 facing emergency (IPC Phase 4) levels of food insecurity and 677,000 facing catastrophic (IPC Phase 5) levels of food insecurity. The fast-deteriorating food security conditions, including a nearly 80 per cent increase in the number of people facing catastrophic levels of food insecurity (677,000 vs. 378,000) have been triggered by the intensity of hostilities, extremely limited humanitarian access, and severe limitations on the supply of goods and basic services, according to the report

At least four civilians today were shot and injured by Israeli forces live` bullets after they were targeted near al-Rashid Street in Al-Zahraa City in the central Gaza Strip according to Wafa news agency.

Medical sources reported that that two children were killed in an Israeli strike that targeted a home in the city of Khan Yunis.

Ambulance and civil crews managed to transport the bodies of the two dead children to Al-Najjar Hospital in the city of Rafah.

The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, said on Monday that Israel is causing famine in the Gaza Strip and is using starvation as a weapon of war.

“In Gaza we are no longer on the brink of famine, we are in a state of famine, affecting thousands of people,” Borrell said at the opening of a conference on humanitarian aid for Gaza in Brussels.

He added, “This is unacceptable. Famine is being used as a weapon of war. Israel is causing famine.”

Several Palestinians were killed and many others injured late last night as the Israeli occupation forces bombed a house in the Nusseirat refugee camp in the central the Gaza Strip.

Israeli warplanes also targeted a house belonging to the Felfel family in the Tel Al-Hawa neighborhood southwest of Gaza City.

Meanwhile, Israeli artillery heavily shelled areas in central and western Khan Yunis city in southern Gaza, while Israeli gunboats fired shells northwest of the Al-Shati refugee camp to the west of Gaza City.

According to Israeli government 1,139 Israelis were killed by Hamas on 7 October in southern Israel and 134 Israelis and foreign nationals are still detained by Hamas in Gaza.

[Photo:  Palestinian children collect belongings from rubble of their destroyed houses after Israeli attacks on the house belonging to the Sabit family on 17 03 24 in Deir al-Balah, Gaza. Photojournalist: Ashraf Amra /AA]