Over 100 days after the siege at Gaza Strip started, the Health Ministry in the Palestinian enclave revealed that its latest count indicated over 24,100 fatalities and 60,834 others injured as Israel’s defense forces continue a seek-and-destroy operation against Hamas.

Hamas guerrillas were responsible for the death of some 1,200 Israelis, mostly unarmed civilians, during the surprise attack in communities in Israel on October 7 last year.

“The Israeli occupation committed 12 massacres against families in the Gaza Strip, resulting in 132 casualties and 252 injuries over the past 24 hours,” the Health Ministry reported on Sunday (January 15).

The United Nations, World Health Organization, and other international aid groups have been appealing for a ceasefire, but the Israeli government remained adamant in forcing its issue against Hamas.

The UN said 85 percent of the Gaza population has been internally displaced, even as shortages of food, clean water, and medicines make life worse for them.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that Palestinians in Gaza face “the long shadow of starvation” as Israel pursues their enemies.

In a joint press statement issued on Sunday, the heads of the World Food Programme (WFP), UN International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), and the World Health Organization lamented that transporting enough supplies across Gaza is still a difficult task for aid agencies.

“Without the ability to produce or import food, the entire population of Gaza relies on aid to survive. But humanitarian aid alone cannot meet the essential needs of the Gaza people,” the international agencies said.

UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said, “Children at high risk of dying from malnutrition and disease desperately need medical treatment, clean water, and sanitation services, but the conditions on the ground do not allow us to safely reach children and families in need.”

The same misgivings have been aired by WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

“Famine will make an already terrible situation catastrophic because sick people are more likely to succumb to starvation, and starving people are more vulnerable to disease,” said Dr. Tedros.

He added, “We need unimpeded, safe access to deliver aid and a humanitarian ceasefire to prevent further death and suffering."