Unleashing Unprecedented Chaos: Gaza Braces for Catastrophe Amid Relentless Israeli Airstrikes

Medical and relief workers urgently call for the safe passage of the 2 million civilians in Gaza. This plea comes as Israel continues its airstrikes on the enclave and imposes a complete siege in response to a brutal attack by Hamas. The residents in the increasingly damaged 140-square-mile territory are running out of time as their food and water supplies dwindle. Families are frantically seeking shelter amidst the destruction of buildings and towers caused by missile strikes. The enclave is facing a critical shortage of medical supplies, and the majority of its inhabitants are now without electricity due to the depletion of fuel reserves on Wednesday.

According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, the number of casualties in Gaza currently stands at 1,417 Palestinians, including 447 children and 248 women. Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus, spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), stated that 1,200 people have been killed in Israel. Additionally, Israel has reported that Hamas, the governing body in Gaza, has taken approximately 150 hostages to the strip, including civilians.

Relief organizations are advocating for the safeguarding of the numerous civilians in Gaza who persistently endure the consequences of the ongoing conflict between Hamas and Israel. They are urging the establishment of an emergency corridor dedicated to the transportation of essential humanitarian assistance.

Injured individuals are being transported by medical personnel to Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City on October 11. Relief workers have issued a cautionary statement about the deteriorating state of the healthcare system in Gaza due to the Israeli blockade.

Smoke billows over Rafah, in southern Gaza, on Thursday. Israeli forces hammered the enclave for a sixth consecutive day.

Said Khatib/AFP/Getty Images

Israeli Energy Minister Israel Katz on Thursday said Israel would deprive the strip of electricity, water and fuel until Hamas returns the hostages.

Katz stated on X, previously known as Twitter, that no electrical switch, water hydrant, or fuel truck will be activated until the Israeli abductees are safely returned home. Additionally, he emphasized that no one has the right to lecture them on moral conduct.

In response to a query regarding Israel's adherence to the laws of warfare in relation to the Gaza siege, Israeli President Isaac Herzog asserted on Thursday that his nation abides by and operates within the parameters of international law.

Herzog assured CNN's Becky Anderson that every operation undergoes thorough legal review and is conducted with utmost respect. He dismissed any claims of war crimes as completely irrelevant.

Dr. Mustafa Barghouti, co-founder of the Palestinian Medical Relief Society (PMRS), expressed concerns that the complete siege of Gaza would lead to the contamination of water sources, reduced oxygen supplies, and negative impacts on health indicators such as infant and maternal mortality rates. He also highlighted the potential consequences of poverty, starvation, the spread of waterborne diseases, and gastrointestinal infections.

The maternal mortality rates will sharply increase for women giving birth under dire circumstances, resulting in a surge of epidemics spreading throughout Gaza. This is in addition to the numerous fatalities caused by the Israeli air strikes. The medical system in that region is on the verge of complete paralysis.

Human Rights Watch earlier this week criticized Israels call for the complete siege as a form of "collective punishment" and a "war crime."

Calls for a humanitarian corridor

According to medical workers interviewed by CNN, the health system in Gaza has been severely impacted by the Israeli blockade. Emergency teams are facing challenges in prioritizing patients due to the scarcity of medical supplies. The co-founder of PMRS, Barghouti, highlighted the significant threat to the lives of patients with pre-existing conditions such as cancer and chronic kidney failure, as the blockade has prevented the arrival of necessary medication.

Barghouti, the leader of the Palestinian National Initiative and also a healthcare professional, mentioned during his interview with CNN on Wednesday that the Palestinian Medical Relief Society (PMRS) has a team of 180 doctors, nurses, and psychotherapists stationed in Gaza. Additionally, there are numerous volunteers supporting their efforts. He also highlighted the urgency of the situation by sharing that he receives continuous calls from patients in Gaza who have kidney problems and urgently require kidney dialysis. These patients fear that without immediate medical intervention, their lives are at risk, with potential consequences within a matter of days.

"Our medical teams are facing significant challenges in traversing from one location to another due to the absence of any secure areas. This situation is undoubtedly a catastrophe unfolding right before our very eyes."

"Without a halt to the bombing and the establishment of a humanitarian corridor, the Palestinian health system cannot endure beyond this week," Abu-Sitta informed CNN. Previously stationed in Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, the doctor now operates from a hospital located in the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza. He expressed his concern regarding the absence of any aid received thus far.

Palestinian citizens inspect damage to their homes, which were destroyed by Israeli airstrikes in the Karama area, in northern Gaza, on Wednesday.

Ahmad Hasaballah/Getty Images

A catastrophe

Hospitals in Gaza are facing an overwhelming number of patients due to limited power supply and a scarcity of drinking water. Additionally, there are increasing concerns about the potential spread of diseases such as cholera, according to Abu-Sitta. On Thursday, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) issued a warning, stating that Gaza's fuel reserves are expected to last only for a few more hours.

"We are not just heading towards a catastrophe, but we are currently immersed in one," stated the ICRC's regional director for the Middle East during a briefing in Geneva, emphasizing that the humanitarian situation is rapidly becoming "unmanageable."

Dr. Ashraf Al-Qudra, spokesperson for the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza, declared on Thursday that the health infrastructure in Gaza is reaching its breaking point. Al-Qudra pointed out that all hospital beds are occupied, leaving no space for new patients in critical condition.

Hospitals in Gaza face the increasing risk of becoming morgues due to power cuts, stated the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on Thursday. Urgent international assistance is urgently required to support field hospitals in Gaza, urged Palestinian Minister of Health, Mai Al Kaila. She emphasized the pressing need for medical supplies, emergency departments, and intensive care units.

Rafah Crossing: the only way in or out

With the current Israeli siege, the only corridor through which Palestinians or aid can pass in and out of Gaza is the Rafah Crossing, which connects Gaza to Egypt.

Egypt denied reports of the crossing being closed, stating that it has incurred damage as a result of repeated Israeli airstrikes on the Palestinian side of the border. Palestinian officials in Gaza had previously claimed that the crossing was closed due to Israeli airstrikes. CNN could not independently confirm the status of the crossing.

Egypt has issued a statement urging international partners to provide humanitarian and relief assistance to Palestinians in Gaza. They have also announced that aid packages can be delivered to the Al-Arish International Airport in north Sinai. In line with this, a Jordanian plane containing medical aid has departed for Egypt. The Jordanian Hashemite Charitable Organization, a state-run relief agency, has stated that the supplies will be transported to medical authorities in Gaza via the Rafah border crossing.

It is uncertain how the aid will cross the border amidst the ongoing airstrikes in Gaza. CNN has contacted the Egyptian government to inquire about the status of the Rafah crossing, including whether aid can be allowed through and if Palestinians fleeing the conflict will be permitted to enter Egyptian territory.

The US said it is in talks with Israel and Egypt about creating a humanitarian corridor through which civilians can cross.

A plume of smoke rises in the sky over Gaza City during an Israeli airstrike on Monday.

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Israel is currently engaged in a conflict with Hamas. Here's what you need to be aware of:

"We are engaging in discussions with Israel regarding this matter. Additionally, we're in communication with Egypt to coordinate the evacuation of civilians from Gaza," stated Secretary of State Antony Blinken before his departure for Israel on Wednesday.

Talks are currently taking place to enable US citizens and Palestinian civilians in Gaza to enter Egypt before any potential Israeli land invasion. According to a senior Israeli official, discussions are ongoing regarding a proposal that would allow American citizens to cross the Rafah border with their US passports. Additionally, it is being considered to restrict the daily movement of other Palestinian civilians to a maximum of 2,000 individuals.

The Israeli official stated that the approval from the Egyptians, who have control over the Rafah crossing, is necessary for the arrangement to be finalized. However, they noted that it is in Israel's best interests for a large number of Palestinians to leave Gaza. On Wednesday, the IDF announced that around 300,000 reservists have been assembled near the Gaza border.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated earlier that Hamas will regret their actions, as Gaza will never be the same again.

Additional reporting by Ibrahim Dahman in Gaza, Celine Alkhaldi and Abeer Salman in Jerusalem, Sharon Braithwaite in London, Pierre Meilhan, Jennifer Hansler, Kevin Liptak, and Rosa Rahimi.