Gaza Strip

UNRWA figures circulating widely state that before the war, 300,000 children attended 288 UNRWA-run schools in Gaza, and that of 22 healthcare centres the agency once operated across the Strip, only six remain active. The numbers are being shared as evidence of the scale of destruction of education and health services, alongside calls for a ceasefire and international action.

Indonesian news agency Antara reports that the number of Palestinians killed by Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip has reached 74,016 since the offensive began on 7 October 2023. The figures, cited from Gaza health authorities, are being widely shared as the conflict continues, with commentary describing the campaign as a genocide against Palestinians.

A drone strike in Gaza City has left five people injured, according to a report from the Syrian Arab News Agency. The strike is the latest in ongoing Israeli military operations across the Gaza Strip, which continue to cause casualties among residents. Details on the condition of those wounded and the exact target of the strike were not provided in initial reporting.

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said Israel must 'go to war' in the West Bank as it did in Gaza, and called for annexing most of the West Bank as well as parts of southern Lebanon. His comments drew immediate attention given his senior role in the government and the ongoing conflicts in Gaza and along Israel's northern border, where Israel has carried out operations against Hezbollah.

Mourners in Gaza gathered for the funeral of eight-year-old Muhammad Saif Al-Din Abdel Wahab Al-Shakhrit, who was killed by Israeli gunfire in al-Mawasi, west of Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip. Hundreds joined the burial, with anger and grief directed at continued Israeli military operations in Palestinian areas.

An Israeli strike in Gaza injured two Palestinians, one of them critically, according to a report by the Yafa News Network. No further details about the location, the circumstances of the strike, or the condition of the victims have been confirmed. The incident comes amid continuing Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip.

Palestinian sources report that Israeli forces shot and killed eight-year-old Mohammed Al-Shekhriti while he was playing outside his family's tent in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip. The report circulated rapidly among pro-Palestinian accounts, with many condemning the killing of children in Gaza and calling for accountability and an end to military operations in the territory.

The BBC is facing scrutiny over reports that 53 Gaza-based journalists contributing to its coverage have alleged ties to Hamas. The claims have reignited debate over the broadcaster's vetting procedures and the reliability of its reporting from the Gaza Strip, with critics demanding transparency and supporters warning against efforts to delegitimise local journalists.

Palestinian sources report that Israeli forces shot and killed a child, Mahmoud Al-Shakhriti, in Al-Mawasi, an area of the southern Gaza Strip where many displaced families have sheltered. The killing was reported early in the day by pro-Palestinian outlets and has drawn condemnation from activists documenting continuing civilian casualties in Gaza.

Pharmacists in the Gaza Strip are improvising medical treatments as the Israel-Gaza conflict leaves hospitals and pharmacies short of essential supplies. With deliveries of medicines and equipment disrupted by the fighting, health workers are compounding or substituting drugs and adapting available materials to keep treating the wounded and sick. The report highlights the strain on Gaza's health system, which aid agencies warn is close to collapse amid ongoing hostilities and blocked humanitarian access.