Israel strikes southern Gaza as disease stalks residents

Israel continued to bombard the Gaza Strip on Thursday despite intensifying international calls to reduce civilian casualties as a surge in deadly diseases sweeps through displaced residents.

Since Israel launched an attack to retaliate Hamas' October 7 operation, the majority of the 2.3 million population has fled their homes, leaving them vulnerable to illnesses, Palestinian doctors and aid organisations say.

"We've got a textbook formula for epidemics and a public health disaster," said Lynn Hastings, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

"What's happening is that people are fleeing, people are being displaced constantly, some of them are being displaced multiple times, many of them don't have the hygiene supplies that they need, many of them don't have the winter clothes," said Juliette Touma, director of communications at the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).

The coastal strip is now facing a public health disaster due to the collapse of its health system and the spread of disease, the U.N. humanitarian office said.

In central Rafah, in the south of the coastal enclave, 24 people were killed in an Israeli strike that hit two houses, Hamas media said early on Thursday. There was no immediate confirmation from the Palestinian health ministry.

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan, who is visiting the region and will be in Israel on Thursday and Friday, would discuss with the Israelis the need to be more precise with their strikes against Hamas targets, spokesperson John Kirby told reporters.

According to health officials in Gaza, at least 18,608 deaths and 50,594 injuries have been recorded so far.