According to Gaza officials, the power station in Gaza has ceased operation as it has run out of fuel required for generating electricity. The head of the Gaza power authority, Galal Ismail, informed CNN that Gaza is currently experiencing a power outage.
The closure of power plants occurred two days following the Israeli government's announcement of a "total blockade" on the Palestinian enclave. This blockade effectively cut off supplies of electricity, food, fuel, and water, in response to the unexpected Hamas attack on Israel, resulting in the loss of over 1,200 lives. Although the people in Gaza currently rely on power generators for electricity, the scarcity of fuel, predominantly due to the blockades surrounding the border, is rapidly depleting their ability to operate these generators, according to Ismail.
The Palestinian health ministry issued a warning that hospitals will exhaust their fuel supply by Thursday, resulting in dire circumstances. The Gaza Strip, which is under Hamas control, has been relentlessly targeted by Israeli airstrikes, resulting in the deaths of 1,055 individuals and injuries to 5,184 others, as reported by the health ministry. While the IDF claims to be targeting Hamas militants, the densely populated nature of Gaza, with a population of 2 million people residing in an area of 140 square miles, frequently leads to civilians becoming casualties in the conflict.
A plume of smoke rises in the sky over Gaza City during an Israeli airstrike on Monday.
Mahmud Hams/AFP/Getty Images
Israel is at war with Hamas. Here's what to know
According to the United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), over 236,000 Gazans have been displaced, resulting in a severe humanitarian crisis. It is anticipated that this number will continue to increase. Additionally, Israel appears to have loosened its rules of engagement aimed at safeguarding civilians. On Tuesday, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced that he had lifted all restrictions on the IDF in their battle against Hamas.
Israel's bombardment continues for a fifth day, raising concerns of additional Palestinian casualties. The "complete siege" instructed by Gallant on Monday is now in effect. On Wednesday, numerous Israeli fighter jets targeted over 70 locations in the Daraja Tuffah region of Gaza, alleging a significant number of terror attacks originating from there. The IDF additionally claimed to have targeted Hamas naval sites in Gaza, accusing them of launching attacks on the Israeli coastline.
The Ministry of Interior Affairs in Palestine has reported intense airstrikes on residential areas in the eastern part of Jabalia and the Qizan al-Najjar region of Khan Yunis. These attacks specifically targeted civilians' homes and roads, causing "direct injuries among citizens," as stated by the ministry.
Burned out buildings are seen in the aftermath of Hamas' attack on kibbutz Kfar Aza in southern Israel.
Muhammad Darwish/CNN
Israeli kibbutz, IDF reports children brutally murdered, revealing the horrifying aftermath of Hamas' border attacks as OCHA condemns the illegal practice of imposing sieges that deny civilians critical supplies under international humanitarian law.
"These risks are aggravating the already grave human rights and humanitarian crisis in Gaza which includes the ability of medical facilities to function, particularly in view of the rising number of injured individuals," stated spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on Tuesday.
The disruption of water supply to Gaza will impact more than 610,000 individuals and lead to a severe scarcity of potable water," added UN OCHA's Jens Laerke.
UN officials have reported that Israeli bombings are causing significant damage to infrastructure and roads, making it difficult for medical teams to provide assistance to the victims. The UNRWA has confirmed the loss of 11 of its employees due to airstrikes in Gaza, and at least 14 of their facilities have been directly or indirectly damaged.
According to Juliette Touma, the director of communications for UNRWA, the agency has faced difficulties in delivering aid to Gaza since Saturday. Israel has closed down the Erez and Kerem Shalom crossings, which control the movement of residents from Gaza into Israel.
Israeli warplanes attacked the sole border crossing connecting Gaza to Egypt on Tuesday, as confirmed by Eyad al-Bozom, the spokesperson for the Palestinian Interior Ministry. This tightly regulated Rafah crossing serves as the sole escape route for Gazans seeking refuge.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) stated that they targeted the Rafah region on Tuesday, which encompassed an underground tunnel employed for the illicit transportation of weapons and equipment.
CNNs Eyad Kourdi, Amir Tal, Abeer Salman, Celine Alkhaldi and Helen Regan contributed to this report.
