Jerusalem: Israel imposed a total siege on the Gaza Strip Monday and cut off the water supply. It kept bombing targets in the crowded Palestinian enclave in response to the Hamas surprise assault it has likened to the 9/11 attacks. The action prompted a remark from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres saying the humanitarian situation in Gaza was extremely dire before, now, it will only deteriorate exponentially.
Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said Israel would impose a “complete siege” on the long blockaded enclave and stressed what this meant for its 2.3 million people: “No electricity, no food, no water, no gas — it’s all closed.” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was “deeply distressed” by Israel’s imposition of a total siege on the Gaza Strip following Hamas´ assault on the country. “The humanitarian situation in Gaza was extremely dire before these hostilities,” Guterres told reporters.
“Now, it will only deteriorate exponentially.” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged Israel against “indiscriminately” attacking civilians in its war with Hamas militants in Gaza.
Reeling from the Islamist group’s unprecedented ground, air and sea attacks, Israel’s Army Radio reported at least 900 people have been killed in the Hamas attacks and launched a withering barrage of strikes on Gaza that have raised the death toll there to 687 people, including 140 children, As per Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza on Monday. The injured has reached 3,726, taking the collective death toll to over 1500. According to the chief spokesperson for the Israel Defence Forces, at least 85 Israeli soldiers were killed in Hamas attacks. Israeli media report that at least 100 bodies were recovered from Kibbutz Be’eri, citing rescue workers
