Update: 500 people killed in Gaza and more 2,650 wounded since the beginning of the Israeli operations

Ramallah, 04-12-08: For the 9th consecutive day, Israel continued its attacks on the Gaza Strip.

Yesterday, witnessed another stage of the crisis, as the threat of a ground and heavily armoured Israeli operation in the Gaza Strip has become reality. The Israeli forces breached Gaza borders Saturday evening and have been advancing ever since. Tanks fired heavy and continuous rounds of artillery, killing at least 19 Palestinians since midnight.

Only 3 of the dead are Hamas gunmen and the rest are civilians. Among those killed since Saturday night were 5 people who died when shells exploded in the centre of Gaza City’s main shopping area. This afternoon, a mother and her 4 children were killed by an air strike in Gaza City. This morning, Israeli troops literally cut Gaza in two parts, cutting off the north - including Gaza City - from the rest of Gaza.

To Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi MP, The Secretary General of the Palestinian National Initiative “There is no doubt that today’s Israeli ground operation is aiming to re-occupy Gaza completely”

“A prolonged ground operation into the Gaza Strip would result in a tragic loss of life on both the sides and harshly compromise the establishment of a truce. It would involve the use of overwhelming force in an urban environment that counts among the most densely populated space on the planet”, he warned.

Since the beginning of the Israeli invasion, 500 people in Gaza were killed, of which approximately 70 children and 27 women. By now, a total of 2,650 Gazans are injured of which more than 270 children and 650 women. Despite the Israeli recurrent discourse, facts are clear and Israel’s war has mainly been conducted against civilians.

The medical and health situation in Gaza is on the edge of collapse, facing a severe lack of vital medical supplies. Surgeries are now made without anaesthesias or sterile equipment, as anaesthetics, sterile medical gloves or needles are sometimes no longer available.

The heath sector in Gaza was already qualified as ‘in crisis’ before the beginning of the Israeli attacks and is now overloaded with severe injured and traumas resulting from the air strikes and ground operation. Before the beginning of the recent crisis, 105 medicines for sever and chronic diseases were reported lacking. All basic medical supplies are lacking, and the situation has worsened since the main warehouse stocking medicines in Gaza was bombed last week.

The 13 governmental hospitals from Gaza provide 1,500 beds and chronic patients such as suffering from hearth problems or cancers were sent home. Half of the 60 ambulances available in the Strip are out of order, struck by Israeli strikes.

Nonetheless, attacks have increased without any serious intervention the international community. "It is now time to end the massacre, time for Israel to stop its aggression on Palestinian civilians, and time for the International Community to take its responsibilities and condemn the Israeli bloodbath and impose a ceasefire,” says Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi.