Hamas reports over 20,000 deaths in Gaza as Israel’s offensive continues

Photo: AFP

As the conflict in Gaza continues to escalate, the Israeli army has carried out one of the deadliest attacks in recent days, leaving more than 220 people dead on Monday, December 25. This brings the total casualties to more than 20,000 since the start of the war on October 7 when Hamas launched an attack on Israeli territory, prompting retaliation from Israel.

Since then, the violence has continued to escalate, with the Gaza Health Ministry reporting more than 54,918 injuries in addition to the staggering death toll. Among the victims are innocent civilians, including women and children, who have been caught in the crossfire of the unstoppable offensive. One of the hardest hit areas was the Al-Maghazi refugee camp, located in the center of the Gaza Strip.

Amid Egypt’s efforts to reach a ceasefire agreement, militant groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad continue to reject the idea of ceasing their attacks in exchange for a truce. As a result, both Israel and these groups have continued to launch rocket attacks and aerial bombardments, leaving extensive damage and fatalities in their wake. Both Hamas and Israel have declared that the end of the war is still far out of reach.

In addition to calling on the international community to intervene and stop the violence in Gaza, the Ministry of Health emphasized the need to stop the bloodshed. The situation in the region continues to worsen and the statement serves as a reminder of the terrible consequences that war has on innocent civilians.