As many as 60 people have been killed and 284 injured in Israeli air raids and bombardments in Gaza in the past 24 hours, says the Gaza Health Ministry the UN considers credible, on Saturday.
The figure may jump sharply as casualties from the hospitals in the north have not been included in the list due to inaccessibility. The ministry added that more victims are believed to be in areas rescuers cannot reach yet.
The latest casualties bring Gaza’s total death toll during the war to 54,381, it said, with 124,054 others wounded, it added. The attack comes at a time when the Israeli authorities have banned foreign ministers of the Arab nations from visiting the West Bank, Ramallah, where there is no fighting taking place, raising serious questions over the move.
The Arab Nations, led by Saudi Arabia, have slammed Israel for banning the delegation from the West Bank.
In a statement, the ministry said the delegation, including ministers from Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, was forced to cancel after Israel denied access through the airspace over the occupied West Bank, which it controls.
The delegation condemned the move as a “blatant violation” that “reflects the arrogance of the Israeli government” and its “disregard for international law," according to the statement.
Earlier, the Israeli official told reporters that Tel Aviv would “not cooperate” with the planned visit, fearing it would promote the establishment of a Palestinian state.
Most countries, including those who used to be staunch supporters of Israel, are considering recognising an independent Palestinian state if the Netanyahu-led government refuses to pause the conflict or disrupts the aid flow to the occupied territory.
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