GAZA - The Palestinian death toll in the Gaza Strip has risen to 72,027, with 171,651 others wounded since Oct 7, 2023, Gaza-based health authorities said on Saturday.
In a press statement, the authorities said that 174 deaths from Jan 30 to Feb 6 were added to the official count, following approval by the relevant government committee.
It added that 576 Palestinians have been killed and 1,543 others wounded since a ceasefire in Gaza came into effect on Oct 10.
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In a separate statement, the health authorities said that the remaining functioning hospitals in the Gaza Strip, struggling to continue providing services, have become mere waiting rooms for thousands of patients, adding that many of the wounded face an uncertain fate.
The war has made sustaining healthcare a daily struggle, severely hindering recovery and the revival of specialized medical services, the authorities said.
The statement warned that basic painkillers have become a rare luxury due to shortages. It also said that 46 percent of essential medicines, 66 percent of medical supplies and 84 percent of laboratory and blood bank materials are completely out of stock.
It added that cancer treatment, hematology, surgery, intensive care and primary healthcare are among the hardest hit, with the limited supplies available falling far short of demand.
Meanwhile, the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) on Saturday urged international actors to pressure Israel to allow an independent Palestinian administrative committee to operate in the Gaza Strip.
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Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem said the failure of the international community, mediators, and the United States to enable the committee's entry into Gaza was undermining confidence in efforts to sustain calm, achieve peace, and establish governing councils to stabilize the enclave.
He urged all parties to "prove the credibility of their claims through practical steps," starting with allowing the committee to operate in Gaza and ensuring the success of its mandate in the next phase.
Qassem added that ceasefire talks are "meaningless" while Israel continues military operations across the Strip, accusing the Israeli government of disregarding previous agreements.
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The administrative body, a technocratic committee led by Ali Shaath, a veteran engineer and former deputy planning minister in the Palestinian Authority, was formed in mid-January by Egypt, Qatar, and Türkiye to manage Gaza during a transitional period.
The current ceasefire, in effect since Oct 10, initially focused on prisoner exchanges and humanitarian aid. A proposed second phase of the peace plan calls for a full Israeli military withdrawal, the disarmament of Hamas, and the start of reconstruction under a transitional governing authority.
