The death toll in Gaza is approaching 25,000 since Israel’s war against Hamas began. After a weeklong blackout, cell and internet services are slowly returning.
SCOTT DETROW, HOST:
The civilian toll in Gaza is rapidly approaching another gruesome milestone as Israel’s war against Hamas grinds on. Nearly 25,000 people have now died, according to the Ministry of Health in Gaza, the majority of whom are women and children. Meanwhile, there are growing fears that the conflict could widen throughout the region following a strike in Syria earlier today that killed several Iranian military advisers.
Joining me to discuss the latest from Tel Aviv is NPR’s Geoff Brumfiel. Hey, Geoff.
GEOFF BRUMFIEL, BYLINE: Hi there, Scott.
DETROW: So we’ll get to that strike in a minute. But first, what is the latest from Gaza?
BRUMFIEL: Yeah, it’s been another bloody week of fighting in Gaza, where the Israeli military continues to battle Hamas. That fight began in October after Hamas attacked Israel, killing 1,200 people. And, you know, Israel says its goal is to eradicate the organization. According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, around 150 people are dying each day in the conflict as a result of direct military action by Israel, and the Israeli military announced the deaths of eight more soldiers this week.
DETROW: So active fighting still going on. Many people have moved to the south of the strip to try and stay safe. How are things looking there?
BRUMFIEL: Not good. You not good at all. There are around 1.7 million residents who’ve been forced into tents and other temporary living situations down there. And the United Nations says things are getting worse for them as well. They’re crammed together. They don’t have access to clean water, and that means diseases like hepatitis A are on the rise. And they’re hungry. Hundreds of thousands of people in Gaza are at risk of famine. That’s all, according to the U.N. agency responsible for Gaza….
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