Fierce fighting has left nearly 300 Palestinians dead in Gaza over the past 24 hours, as the Palestinian armed group Hamas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu exchanged threats.

Israeli The raids continued Demonstrations broke out on Sunday in besieged areas, including in northern Gaza, where entire neighborhoods were leveled by airstrikes and where ground troops, deployed for more than six weeks, continue to face stiff resistance from Hamas militants .

Gaza Health Ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra told Al Jazeera in a telephone interview that 297 people were killed and more than 550 injured in Gaza in the last 24 hours, bringing the death toll since the war began on October 7 increased to over 18,000 – the majority of them women and children.

Hamas and Netanyahu exchange threats

Israeli Attacks on Gaza The terror attack entered its 65th day on Sunday, with Hamas warning that none of the prisoners it took in on October 7 would leave Gaza alive if their demands were not met.

“Neither the fascist enemy and its arrogant leadership … nor its supporters … can capture their prisoners alive without exchanges and negotiations and without meeting the demands of the resistance,” Hamas spokesman Abu Obeida said in a television broadcast.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, for his part, called on Hamas to surrender.

“It is the beginning of the end for Hamas. I say to the Hamas terrorists: It’s over. Don’t die for it [Yahya] Sinwar. Surrender now,” he said, referring to the Hamas chief in Gaza.

Hamas had previously said Israel had launched a series of “very violent raids” against the southern town of Khan Younis and the road connecting it to Rafah, near the border with Egypt.

Gaza residents also reported heavy fighting in the Shujayea district of Gaza City and in the Jabalia refugee camp, a densely populated urban area.

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) said Israeli forces stormed an area near the UNRWA clinic in the heart of Jabalia camp, where its emergency response teams and medics operate a medical post.

“The team consists of nine doctors, nurses and volunteers. The surrounding area is currently under bombardment and poses a constant threat to the lives of the medical teams and the wounded,” the Red Crescent said in a post on X on Sunday evening.

🚨IOF has entered the area near the UNRWA clinic in the middle of Jabalia camp, where the PRCS EMS teams 🚑operate an advanced medical post. The team consists of 9 doctors, nurses and volunteers. The surrounding area is currently being bombed and poses a constant threat… pic.twitter.com/JcFpL1IRRS

— PRCS (@PalestineRCS) December 10, 2023

In Shujayea – where Israeli snipers and tanks positioned themselves among the abandoned buildings – residents said the dead and wounded were left on the streets as ambulances could no longer reach the area.

“They attack everything that moves,” Hamza Abu Fatouh told the Associated Press.

“Journey of Death”

Israel ordered the evacuation of northern Gaza early in the war, but tens of thousands of people remained behind, fearing that the south would not be safer or that they would never be allowed to return home.

There was also heavy fighting in and around the southern town of Khan Younis on Sunday.

“The mass exodus continues. Those fleeing northern Gaza to survive describe it as a ‘journey of death,'” said Al Jazeera’s Tareq Abu Azzoum, reporting from Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip.

“Those in Khan Younis have been ordered to flee to al-Mawasi on the coast – an area considered very dangerous,” he added.

“It is also a region without any infrastructure – including access to water, food and electricity. There is also no access to toilets. The situation is now deteriorating extremely quickly.”

Health situation in the Gaza Strip “catastrophic”: WHO

The 34-member board of the World Health Organization adopted a resolution on Sunday calling for immediate and unhindered aid deliveries to Gaza.

“Gaza’s health system is on its knees and collapsing,” said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, with only 14 of 36 hospitals even fully functioning.

The emergency measure proposed by Afghanistan, Qatar, Yemen and Morocco targets the passage of medical staff and supplies to Gaza, requires the WHO to document violence against medical staff and patients and secure funding for the reconstruction of hospitals.

“I have to be honest with you: these tasks are almost impossible under the current circumstances,” Tedors said, praising the countries for finding common ground. It was the first time since the beginning of the conflict that a United Nations proposal had been approved by consensus.

About 90 percent of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents have been displaced within the territory. With very little aid being allowed in, Palestinians face severe shortages of food, water and other basic goods.

Mustafa Barghouti, a Palestinian politician who heads the Union of Palestinian Medical Relief Committees with 25 teams operating in Gaza, said: “Half of Gaza is starving now.”

Barghouti said 350,000 people had infections, including 115,000 with severe respiratory infections and without warm clothing, blankets and shelter from rain.

He said many suffered from stomach ailments because there was little clean water and insufficient fuel for cooking, which could lead to outbreaks of dysentery, typhoid and cholera.

“To make matters worse, we have 46,000 injured people who cannot be treated properly because most hospitals are not functioning,” he said.

Renewed US support for Israeli attacks

Israel recently intensified its bombing of the Gaza Strip United States veto to a UN Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire. The vote was triggered by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres invoked Article 99 the UN Charter – a measure that has not been used for decades.

The article allows the Secretary-General to “bring to the attention of the Security Council any matter which, in his opinion, may jeopardize the maintenance of international peace and security.”

The USA has also implemented one Emergency sale The Pentagon said Saturday that about 14,000 tank shells worth more than $100 million would be delivered to Israel without congressional approval.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken deflected criticism of the sale from Palestinians and human rights groups who say it is inconsistent with Washington’s stated efforts to press Israel to minimize civilian casualties, saying on Sunday ABC said Washington was in almost constant contact with the Israelis. to make sure they understand what their responsibilities are.”

Speaking at the two-day Doha Forum event that began in the Qatari capital on Sunday, Antonio Guterres said he expected “public order will soon completely collapse.”

“And there could be an even worse situation, including epidemic diseases and increased pressure for mass displacement to Egypt,” he added.

Qatar, a key mediator of last month’s seven-day ceasefire in which 80 Israeli prisoners were swapped for 240 Palestinian prisoners and took humanitarian aid, said on Sunday it was still working on a new ceasefire agreement.

Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani told the Doha Forum that mediation efforts will continue to lead to an end to the war and the release of all prisoners, but “unfortunately we are not seeing the same willingness as in previous weeks.”

“Our efforts as the State of Qatar continue together with our partners,” he said, adding that Israel’s relentless bombing is “narrowing the window” for success.