Live: Palestinian death toll in Gaza nears 26,000

Good evening Middle East Eye readers,

At least 25,490 Palestinians have been killed by the Israeli army since the start of the war on 7 October, according to the latest figures by the Palestinian Health Ministry. 

It said 63,354 people have also been injured since October 7.

At least one Palestinian has been killed and 12 wounded as Israel targeted the Palestine Red Crescent Society headquarters in Khan Younis and the El Amal City Hospital.

In other developments:

• Gaza is once more affected by a “near-total telecommunications blackout” amid relentless Israeli bombardment, according to an internet watchdog.
• Israel’s military says it killed “dozens” of Palestinian fighters during fierce fighting in the Gaza Strip over the past 24 hours. The claim could not be independently verified.
• Palestinian photojournalist Motaz Azaiza announced on Tuesday that he would be leaving the war-torn Gaza Strip on Tuesday for Qatar. 
• US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Tuesday that the US does not support any permanent change to Gaza's territory, but indicated openness to considering "transitional arrangements" as potential solutions to the war in Gaza.
• United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that "clear and repeated rejection of the two-state solution at the highest levels of the Israeli government is unacceptable", while he called for increased humanitarian aid access across the Gaza Strip.
• In a joint statement released on Tuesday, Britain announced that a coalition of 24 countries, including the United States, Germany, and Australia, carried out further strikes on Monday, targeting eight locations in Yemen's Houthi-held regions.

In a joint statement released on Tuesday, Britain announced that a coalition of 24 countries, including the United States, Germany, and Australia, carried out further strikes on Monday, targeting eight locations in Yemen's Houthi-held regions.

"In response to continued illegal and reckless Houthi attacks against vessels transiting the Red Sea and surrounding waterways, the armed forces of the United States and United Kingdom, with support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada, the Netherlands, and New Zealand, conducted additional strikes against eight targets in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen," a joint statement issued by the British prime minister's office said.

"These strikes were designed to disrupt and degrade the capability of the Houthis to continue their attacks on global trade and innocent mariners from around the world, while avoiding escalation."

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Tuesday that the US does not support any permanent change to Gaza's territory, but indicated openness to considering "transitional arrangements" as potential solutions to the war in Gaza.

"If there needs to be transitional arrangements to enable that to happen, that's one thing," Blinken told reporters in Abuja, Nigeria.

"But when it comes to the permanent status of Gaza going forward, we've been clear, we remain clear about not encroaching on its territory."

German police summoned Taqadum al-Khatib, a researcher affiliated with Princeton University and Berlin Free University, for questioning, following a post he published on his X account.

On 10 November, Khatib wrote, “Please inform the people, intellectuals, professors, the political elite and the media in Germany: ‘Surviving a Holocaust doesn’t give you the right to enact another’. ​RETWEET if you agree”.

On Tuesday, Khatib took to X and posted in Arabic that because of the tweet, the German police have summoned him to investigate “in a report filed against me by Zionist associations”.

“Welcome to the free world that supports and embraces freedom of opinion and expression. In this context, I welcome any legal support,” he added.

On Tuesday, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that "clear and repeated rejection of the two-state solution at the highest levels of the Israeli government is unacceptable", while he called for increased humanitarian aid access across the Gaza Strip.

"The entire population of Gaza is enduring destruction at a scale and speed without parallel in recent history," Guterres told the UN Security Council.

"Nothing can justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people."

He told the council that the humanitarian situation in the Palestinian enclave was "appalling" and that "the people of Gaza not only risk being killed or injured by relentless bombardments, they also run a growing chance of contracting infectious diseases like hepatitis A, dysentery, cholera."

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has criticised Israeli officials' repeated rejection of the two-state solution, calling it ‘unacceptable’ and warning that it could prolong the war in Gaza pic.twitter.com/oHvLqtu4Ah

— Middle East Eye (@MiddleEastEye) January 23, 2024

Brett McGurk, the US envoy for the Middle East, is in Cairo on Tuesday to engage in discussions aimed at securing the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, as well as negotiating a humanitarian ceasefire, according to a statement from the White House.

White House spokesperson John Kirby said that the Biden administration is fully in favour of extending the duration of the humanitarian pause.

Kirby added that McGurk's discussions encompass additional topics, such as evaluating Israel's military actions and its initiatives to safeguard civilians, and further examining the prospects for normalising relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia.

Speaking to the UK's Telegraph newspaper, former Israeli premier Ehud Barak said Israel risked "sinking in the Gaza mud for years to come” if Netanyahu continued to hold on to power.

The Israeli prime minister is widely blamed for the failures that led to the 7 October attack by Hamas-led Palestinian fighters and the military response, which has so far failed to dislodge Hamas in Gaza despite a devastating toll on civilians.

“For Hamas to win it just needs to survive," Barak said, adding that even killing the leadership of Hamas would not deal a death blow to the organisation.

“The only way is to have an election straight away," he added.

Some quotes from a Palestinian in Khan Younis, which is the current focus of Israeli bombardment:

"The situation in Khan Younis is catastrophic, especially in the Amal neighbourhood in the Mashroaa area. Tanks are less than 500 metres from the area and snipers have taken over the rooftops of residential buildings there, ready to shoot anyone who moves," said 24-year-old Said Wujdan.

"The bombardment has not stopped since yesterday. I woke up when window glass shattered on me, and I had injuries," he added.

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees says that 570,000 people in Gaza are at risk of catastrophic hunger.

Starvation is setting in amongst Palestinians in the besieged territory amid an intense Israeli siege, which blocks the import of food and fuel into the area.

Images shared on social media in the past few days show Palestinians turning animal feed into flour for bread due to shortages of food.

570,000 people in📍#Gaza face catastrophic hunger.

Intense fighting, access denials & restrictions + communications blackouts are hampering @UNRWA's ability to safely & effectively deliver aid.

As risk of famine grows, @UN calls for a critical increase in humanitarian access. https://t.co/fhlAGyJ8BQ

— UNRWA (@UNRWA) January 23, 2024

The Israeli army have issued alerts for residents in six so-called blocks in Khan Younis City to evacuate their homes.

Israel has divided the beseiged Gaza Strip into blocks, instructing Palestinians to move from one block to another. The measures, however, give civilians no measure of protection. 

The identified blocks were 107, 108, 109, 110, 111 and 112.

Middle East Eye spoke to ordinary civilians told to leave their homes.

"At around 6am, I received an emergency alert marked as urgent on my phone demanding us to leave our homes in Khan Younis City. I live with 23 members of my family in Block 107.

"This area has been one of the safest zones we sought refuge in during the previous wars. I fled here on 17 October from Gaza City after my house was destroyed," said Dina, 36, displaced with her four children.

The message demanded that residents flee to the Al-Amal neighbourhood, as well as those in central Khan Younis and the refugee camp, to flee to the Al-Mawasi area.

"They lie to us. They just change the place where they intend to kill us. The majority of the displaced people in Al-Mawasi have already fled yesterday after Israeli tanks reached the area.

"Quadcopters and battleships fired upon them. My brother was there and had to evacuate with his family to Rafah City," said Dina, speaking to MEE.

"At this moment, the majority of the blocks in Khan Younis are marked as unsafe. Previously, we used to flee from one home to another, then return when the shelling stopped. Today all zones are marked as unsafe and susceptible to bombing.

"We are experiencing hunger, pain and cold, and the world is just watching. Where should we go?" she said.

Dr Ahmed Mugrabi, head of the plastic reconstructive surgery department at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, spoke to Middle East Eye on Tuesday. He gave a glimpse of the chaos resulting from the Israeli blockade of the city.

"We have got news today from the Israeli army to evacuate block number 107. This block actually contains schools, hospitals and other houses," said Mugrabi.

Israel divided the besiged Gaza Strip in blocks, instructing Palestinians to move from one block to another. The measures, however, give civilians no measure of protection. 

"People actually were trying to evacuate this block but they couldn't. All over and around me, explosions, gunshot can be heard, and is being fired over our heads. People couldn't evacuate because it wasn't safe," said Mugrabi. 

"There is no way to escape and nowhere to evacuate to. And they all got ordered to evacuate this block. We are trying to find medical staff but they couldn't come to the hospital. We are very few in the hospital and there are dozens of people who are wounded and we need to look after," he said.

"The situation is catastrophic, really catastrophic. If anybody can really help us as medical personnel. I really hope everyone will hear my voice. I can't begin to explain to you what a real disaster the situation here is. Please tell the Israelis we are not a target. The hospital is not a target. Please!," he added.

At least one Palestinian has been killed and 12 wounded as Israel targeted the Palestine Red Crescent Society headquarters in Khan Younis and the El Amal City Hospital.

Israeli forces have intensified their bombardment in different areas of Khan Younis city, including the surroundings of Al-Amal Hospital, Al-Aqsa University, as well as Quizan Al-Najjar, Al-Batn Alsameen, and Al-Mawasi neighbourhoods.

Middle East Eye has spoken to an eyewitness in Khan Younis. 

"The situation in Khan Younis dramatically flipped yesterday. While we were expecting a gradual withdrawal of the Israeli tanks, we were surprised that the tanks had reached Al-Mawasi, where we are seeking refuge now. This area was considered safe earlier," said Mohammed, 37, who has been displaced to Al-Mawasi. 

"I am talking to you now while I can see the tank on the top of the street. The Israeli battleships also fired shells yesterday. Some people already have tents on the beach due to the overcrowding here. They had to escape while some were killed immediately," he said.

"The bombardment also intensified near Al-Aqsa University near our place, where thousands of people seek refuge. Quadcopters are spread throughout the area, ready to fire if anyone leaves their places. We are trapped here. We are not able to leave to seek food or any life essentials," added Mohammed.

"We expect the Israeli tanks to reach Nasser Hospital soon. What they are doing now is paving the way for the tanks to enter the area there," he said. 

The Palestinian Red Crescent (PCRS) in Gaza said that the Israeli army is laying siege to Khan Younis with Israeli drones shooting at anyone moving around Al-Amal Hospital. 

In a post on X, it said that ambulances are unable to reach the wounded in Khan Younis governorate.

Its headquarters in the now besiged city have also been shelled, it said. 

Palestinian photojournalist Motaz Azaiza announced on Tuesday that he would be leaving the war-torn Gaza Strip on Tuesday for Qatar. 

“I had to evacuate for a lot of reasons you all know some of it but not all of it,” he wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Thank you all. Pray for Gaza.”

Azaiza has been one of a key handful of individuals on the ground bringing live updates of the Israel-Hamas war to his more than 18 million followers on Instagram and over a million on X.

“This is the last time you will see me with this heavy, stinky vest,” Azaiza said in an emotional Instagram video.