As Israel continues to pound Gaza, bodies of 9 children pulled out from rubble

Amid escalating tensions in the Gaza Strip Israel has continued its air raids on the region resulting in dozens of casualties including nine children in the city of Khan Younis according to reports from Al JazeeraThe ongoing conflict has taken a severe toll on both sides with 1200 killed in Gaza while Israel has also recorded 1200 deathsOfficials in Gaza have expressed grave concerns about a looming humanitarian catastrophe the report said as the enclaves only power plant has been forced to shut down due to a critical shortage of fuel after a ldquocomplete blockaderdquo by IsraelIn a statement to the media earlier on Wednesday Ashraf Al Qidra spokesperson of the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza explained that Israelrsquos blockade and the refusal to allow fuel into Gaza are pushing ldquoour medical operation into a precarious situationrdquoWithout quick action to restore power the situation in the hospitals is poised for a ldquohuge loss of these livesrdquo he said a stark warning of the potential consequences of the continued power shortagesThe International Committee of the Red Cross ICRC has issued a stark warning describing the hospitals in Gaza as resembling graveyards due to the acute shortage of power supply Hisham Mhanna a dedicated ICRC staff member stationed in Gaza shared a video clip via social media emphasizing the imminent risk of the sole power company in the Palestinian territory completely shutting down within a matter of hoursAlso read We are moving to full offence Gaza will never go back to what it wasGazas hospitals are already grappling with a critical scarcity of medical personnel and essential supplies with the number of seriously injured patients mounting swiftly due to the relentless Israeli airstrikes The situation in Gaza continues to be highly volatile and deeply distressing as both sides suffer substantial losses in a conflict that shows no signs of deescalationIn response to the crisis the International Committee of the Red Cross ICRC has extended an offer to assist in securing the release of captives taken by Hamas from southern Israel on Saturday The ICRC acting as a neutral mediator has initiated contact with both Hamas and Israeli officials as part of its efforts to address the hostage issue The organization is prepared to facilitate humanitarian visits and support any potential releasesIsraeli authorities have reported that Hamas is currently holding approximately 150 individuals captive encompassing soldiers men women children and elderly individuals all within the confines of GazaMultiple reports from various Palestinian media outlets have confirmed that an Israeli airstrike targeting a residential building in northern Gaza has resulted in the tragic loss of at least 15 lives The early morning attack in the city of Jabaliya has also left numerous individuals wounded according to information provided by the Palestinian WAFA news agency