Shafaq News – Gaza

On Saturday, Hamas published a photograph of 47 hostages held in Gaza, describing it as a “farewell” image, citing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s “obstinacy” and Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir’s “submission.”

The release came as the Israeli army continues operational activity across Gaza “with unprecedented force.” The city, home to more than one million people, including tens of thousands displaced from the north, has been under heavy bombardment since Tuesday’s ground offensive. The military reported that about 480,000 residents fled in recent days.

According to Gaza’s daily health bulletin, hospitals received 34 bodies and 200 new injuries in the past 24 hours. Rescue teams said more victims remain trapped under rubble and in the streets, unreachable due to continued shelling.

The cumulative toll of the war since October 7, 2023, has risen to 65,208 killed and 166,271 wounded. Among those killed, aid-related casualties remain high: four more people died while collecting food aid in the past day, bringing the total of such victims to 2,518 killed and over 18,449 injured. Health officials also confirmed two new deaths from famine and malnutrition, raising that tally to 442, including 147 children.

Gaza’s Government Media Office reported that around 270,000 residents have been newly displaced, while more than 22,000 who had moved south returned to Gaza City on Saturday, citing the lack of basic services in the south.

The office said al-Mawasi, a coastal strip in Khan Younis and Rafah promoted by Israel as a “safe zone,” is now sheltering nearly one million people but has been hit by more than 110 airstrikes since the start of the war, leaving over 2,000 dead. Officials said the area has no hospitals, infrastructure, or essential services, making life “close to impossible.”