Gaza's Health Ministry said on Tuesday that five people were killed over the past 24 hours, including one newly reported fatality, while three others were wounded, as the enclave continues to face severe humanitarian conditions despite an ongoing ceasefire. According to the ministry, since the ceasefire came into effect, 406 people have been killed and 1,118 injured, while 653 bodies have been recovered from beneath the rubble. It said the overall toll since the outbreak of the war on Oct. 7, 2023, has risen to 70,942 dead and 171,195 wounded. The ministry also reported a new death caused by a building collapse, raising to 16 the number of people killed in such incidents linked to a recent winter storm. Widespread destruction and a severe shortage of adequate shelter have heightened risks to civilians, particularly during harsh weather conditions. Medical officials warned that Gaza's health system remains on the brink of collapse. Mohammed Abu Afash, head of the Palestinian Medical Relief Society in Gaza, said patients suffering from chronic illnesses are facing life-threatening conditions due to acute shortages of essential medicines and restrictions on travel for medical treatment abroad. He added that around 1,200 Palestinian patients have died after being unable to access or complete necessary medical care. The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor accused Israel of using winter conditions as an additional means of pressure on Gaza's population and called for urgent international intervention to allow the entry of temporary housing and shelter supplies. The group said the ceasefire, now in its third month, has failed to significantly ease the humanitarian crisis following more than two years of war. Separately, the Palestinian government warned against attempts to alter land records in Gaza or illegally transfer ownership of public and private property. In a statement issued after its weekly cabinet meeting, the government said the Palestinian Land Authority maintains complete copies of Gaza's land registries in Ramallah and would nullify any transactions conducted under the current conditions, holding those responsible legally accountable. Political tensions have also intensified. Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said remarks by Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz, indicating that Israel would not withdraw from Gaza and would establish settlement nuclei in the north, constituted a serious breach of the ceasefire agreement. He said the comments contradicted U.S. efforts to advance peace in Gaza and reflected the rhetoric of Israel's far right. Katz had earlier stated that Israel would never fully withdraw from Gaza and would establish new settlement groups in northern areas of the enclave evacuated during Israel's unilateral disengagement in 2005. Meanwhile, mediators continue efforts to advance talks toward a second phase of the ceasefire agreement. Israel's Maariv newspaper reported that Israel may accept a Turkish role in Gaza under certain conditions, including a moderation of statements by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, as negotiations remain stalled and tensions persist.
