According to Gaza’s Hamas-run Health Ministry, 202 people were killed and 1,037 injured in the past 48 hours alone. UNICEF reported that only 40 percent of water facilities are operational, with most sewage and pumping systems collapsed, raising fears of disease outbreaks.
Gaza’s communication infrastructure has also suffered major damage, with local sources estimating that 70 percent has been destroyed by Israeli airstrikes. The collapse has paralyzed communications in the south, complicating aid delivery, medical coordination and casualty evacuation.
Footage from food distribution centers in Khan Younis and Rafah shows live fire directed at Gazans, including children, waiting for aid. Casualties have been reported in some instances.
Amid worsening conditions, frustration is growing among Gaza’s residents. While some see the Israel-Iran war as a potential relief from pressure in Gaza, others fear becoming pawns in a broader regional conflict. “If Iran truly wants to stop the war against us, it should act,” said one resident. “But if this is about its own interests, we’ll be the ones paying the price.”
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Billboard in Tehran shows Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh, Iranian General Qassem Soleimani and Hezbollah military chief Fuad Shukr alongside the caption: 'We will take revenge'
“For the first time, the missiles didn’t fall on us, but on Israel,” said Abu Abdallah, 32, of Gaza. “That alone makes us feel we’re not alone.” Majed Abu Hamza, 52, added, “Anyone who attacks Israel is seen as a hero by Palestinians, whether or not we agree with their ideology. Many here see Iran as a form of hope.”
Still, skepticism remains. Mahmoud Farhat of Gaza said, “We’ve been dying for two years. Why didn’t Iran fire its missiles to protect us before, if it has that capability? Only when its nuclear program was hit did it respond. Then someone says, ‘Iran is defending us.’ That’s laughable.”
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Palestinians carry humanitarian aid parcels in southern Gaza
(Photo: AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)
Despite ongoing hostilities, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) distributed over 1.27 million food portions Saturday across three locations. But the group acknowledged disruptions in the supply chain, citing the closure of the Kerem Shalom crossing for Shabbat and complications from the Iran war.
Acting GHF Director John Ackrey said that the relief group cannot meet the growing scale of need as long as large areas of Gaza remain inaccessible and that it was working with the Israeli government to open additional aid sites in northern Gaza.
