Amman, March 18 (Petra) -- The Government Media Office in Gaza has reported that casualties from the Israeli military Aggression on the Gaza Strip have surged to 342 Palestinians killed in just five hours of bombardment since dawn Tuesday.

Officials confirmed that entire families have been wiped out in the intense barrage that began in the early morning hours.

Mohammed Bassal, Civil Defense spokesman in Gaza, reported an additional 300 people wounded in the attacks. He stated that victims predominantly children, women, and elderly residents are being rushed to already overwhelmed medical facilities across the territory.

The health infrastructure in Gaza faces imminent collapse, according to Health Sector spokesman Khalil Al-Daqran, who issued an urgent appeal for international intervention. "The health system is on the brink of catastrophic failure," he warned.

Al-Daqran detailed critical shortages threatening essential services, including the potential shutdown of ambulance operations and hospital power supplies due to severe fuel deficits caused by Israel's ongoing blockade of humanitarian aid into the enclave.

"We face a devastating shortage of medical equipment, medications, and functioning operating theaters," Al-Daqran explained. "Most hospitals have been forced to cease operations entirely, while the few remaining facilities operate at minimal capacity, unable to adequately treat the hundreds of critically injured patients arriving hourly."

//Petra// AA

18/03/2025 10:48:09