In Gaza, Palestinians started fasting on Monday for the holy month of Ramadan as hunger worsens across the strip and tension grows in Israel over the growing humanitarian crisis.
Qatar, the United States of America, and Egypt had expected to broker a cease-fire ahead of Ramadan. However, last week, the cease-fire talks stalled.
The bodies of 67 people killed by Israeli strikes were brought to hospitals over the past 24 hours, said the Health Ministry of Gaza. Since the war began, the Palestinian death toll has crossed the 31,112 mark. The ministry says that women and kids make up two-thirds of the deceased.
The war started when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on October 7. This led to the killing of some 1,200 people, mostly civilians. Nearly 250 people were taken hostage. Reportedly, Hamas is still holding nearly 100 people in its captivity.
Five months of war have pushed about 80 per cent of the 2.3 million people of Gaza from their houses and forced hundreds of thousands to the brink of famine.
United Nations
The United Nations chief Antonio Guterres is urging Hamas and Israel to honor the spirit of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan by “silencing the guns” and to show kindness by releasing all captives seized by the militant group during its raid in southern Israel on October 7.