Over 322 killed, missing in five hours as 'Israel' resumes war on Gaza
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The Government Media Office in Gaza says that due to the dire security conditions and the paralysis of the transportation sector, the transfer of a large number of martyrs has been hindered.
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A woman cries while sitting on the rubble of her house, destroyed in an Israeli strike, in the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza Strip, on March 18, 2025 (AFP)
After a fragile ceasefire that lasted roughly two months, "Israel" has resumed its aggression on Gaza with intense airstrikes, resulting in an initial toll of 254 martyrs and more than 440 injuries, including many in critical condition, the enclave's Health Ministry said on Tuesday, declaring a state of emergency.
Earlier, the Government Media Office in Gaza reported that over 322 people have been killed or are missing in a span of five hours, with dozens more injured.
According to Al Mayadeen’s correspondent, "Israel" has launched a new wave of airstrikes targeting various cities in Gaza, including a particularly intense strike on eastern Gaza.
Israeli warplanes have bombed homes in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, and northeast of the Nuseirat refugee camp. Meanwhile, Israeli artillery has shelled the town of al-Fukhari, east of Khan Younis in the south.
Our correspondent further noted that Gaza’s streets remain deserted as residents are gripped with fear, with Israeli warplanes filling the sky.
Palestinian media reported that Major General Mahmoud Abu Watfa, Deputy Minister of Interior in Gaza, was killed in an Israeli strike on Gaza City.
The Israeli occupation military also issued evacuation orders for a number of neighborhoods in Gaza.
Hamas said it is engaged in communications with mediators regarding the current situation, adding that it is keen to complete the implementation of the ceasefire in Gaza, Reuters reported.
The Media Office said the Israeli occupation is violating the ceasefire agreement and continuing its genocide against civilians, in blatant disregard for all international and humanitarian conventions.
It stated that these brutal massacres are taking place amid a catastrophic and suffocating siege, with all border crossings completely blocked, as more than 2.4 million Palestinians in Gaza were deprived of the most basic necessities of life, including food, medicine, water, baby formula, and essential supplies. Israeli media reported that "Israel" has shut down the Rafah border crossing.
Due to the dire security conditions and the paralysis of the transportation sector, the transfer of a large number of martyrs to hospitals has been hindered, the Government Media Office in Gaza noted. It emphasized that most of the martyrs and missing persons are women, children, and elderly individuals, describing the ongoing events as acts of genocide targeting people, land, and history.
The office stressed that the latest massacres reaffirm that "Israel" knows only the language of killing, destruction, and genocide and expose its true intentions to shed innocent blood without any moral or legal restraint.
According to the statement, this is happening alongside the collapse of Gaza’s healthcare system due to the continued blockade on medical supplies and humanitarian aid, which threatens to bring hospitals to a complete halt, rendering them incapable of providing medical care to the wounded and sick.
Furthermore, it warned that the ongoing ban on fuel entry for essential sectors in Gaza will push the Strip into a full-scale disaster in every sense of the word.
'Global green light for extermination of Gaza'
Dr. Mohammad Abu Salmiya, director of al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza, warned that large quantities of medicines and medical supplies have been depleted due to the ongoing war and blockade.
Abu Salmiya told Al Mayadeen that "the situation in Gaza is catastrophic and tragic," adding that the number of martyrs exceeded 350 and that this figure is expected to rise.
"We have no capacity to accommodate the increasing number of martyrs and wounded arriving at the remaining hospitals in Gaza," he added.
He further revealed, "The morgues are unable to accommodate any more martyrs."
Abu Salmiya also stated, "The occupation seeks to kill as many civilians as possible in Gaza following the resumption of its aggression."
"We are expecting to hear shocking news in the coming hours regarding the increase in the number of martyrs," he continued.
Abu Salmiya also emphasized, "There is a global green light for the extermination of Gaza."
He pointed out that "the roads are destroyed and there are no civil defense vehicles available to reach the martyrs and the wounded trapped under the rubble."
Meanwhile, UNICEF’s spokesperson in Gaza reported that airstrikes have hit tents and facilities sheltering displaced families.
In response to the escalating situation, the Ministry of Education in Gaza announced the suspension of classes in all schools and educational institutions until further notice.
Israeli media quoted a security source stating that negotiations for a ceasefire and a prisoner exchange deal are resuming "under fire". Additionally, the media reported that Israeli government ministers have been instructed not to give interviews regarding the attacks on Gaza.
Read more: Arab, Palestinian parties condemn Israeli aggression on Gaza
