MOSCOW, July 24 (RIA Novosti) – The Palestinian death toll is reaching 700, with one child being killed every hour in recent days, according to statements released over the past two days by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
“According to preliminary information, at least 697 Palestinians, including at least 518 civilians, are reported to have been killed. This includes 170 children and 86 women,” the UN’s most recent report stated.
Tens of Palestinian families continue to be trapped in Khan Younis, a town on the southern edge of the Gaza Strip, local media reported.
As the same time, local medics said 23 Gaza Strip residents died overnight, among them six children.
“One child has been killed in Gaza every hour for the past two days,” the UN statement dating back to July 22 said.
Israel is currently considering expanding its ground military operation, the main purpose of which is to uncover cross-border tunnels used by the Hamas militants to carry out their attacks.
Last week, after 10 days of remote attacks, Israel launched a ground operation which dramatically increased the number of casualties on both sides.
According to the local medics, over 17 days of the fighting 718 Palestinians died and 4,500 were injured. Israel counts 35 people dead.
