The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Gaza has reported 179 casualties in its Rafah 60-bed field hospital.
The organisation says most of the people sustained gunshot wounds, and 21 of the reported cases were declared dead upon arrival.
“Early morning on June 1, the 60-bed Red Cross Field Hospital in Rafah received a mass casualty influx of 179 cases, including women and children. The majority suffered gunshot or shrapnel wounds. Twenty-one patients were declared dead upon arrival,” says ICRC in a press statement.
The humanitarian organisation reports that patients were injured while reaching out for aid, adding that it is the highest recorded casualty number a year after the field hospital was established. ICRC calls for the warring parties to respect international and humanitarian law.
Last week, ICRC reported that Israel had blocked aid from entering Gaza, warning of starvation or death by disease. The Committee to Protect Journalists also reported journalists trapped in Gaza without necessities, including food, water, electricity and internet access.
ICRC called for the release of Israeli captives in Gaza and for them to get access to the Palestinians held captive in Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he will end the war in Gaza when Israeli hostages are set free or Hamas is dismantled and its leaders exiled.
The conflict has so far killed 54,249 people since the war started on October 7, 2023, and nearly 4,000 lives have been lost since the 2-month ceasefire was dishonoured.
