A brief lull promised by a ceasefire has offered little relief to civilians in Gaza, where lives continue to be lost amid an ongoing genocidal war. Over the past day alone, hospitals recorded a new wave of fatalities and injuries, underscoring how distant genuine safety remains for residents across the territory. Medical workers describe an environment in which emergency care is stretched to breaking point, even as expectations of restraint were raised.

Health officials confirmed that bodies were brought into medical facilities from multiple locations, including victims whose remains were only recently retrieved from beneath collapsed buildings. Others are believed to remain buried or stranded in areas that rescuers cannot reach, as damaged roads and continuing dangers severely restrict ambulance movement and civil defence operations. The passage of time has not eased the suffering; instead, it has compounded the human cost.

Since the ceasefire came into effect in October, hundreds more people have been killed and many more injured, figures that add to an already staggering toll. The cumulative number of dead and wounded since October 2023 now runs into the tens of thousands, reflecting the scale of destruction inflicted during the genocidal war. Health professionals warn that these numbers are likely incomplete, given the ongoing difficulty of accessing devastated neighbourhoods.

Beyond the immediate casualties, the wider humanitarian situation remains dire. Medical supplies are scarce, hospitals operate under extreme pressure, and the delivery of aid continues to face severe restrictions. For Gaza’s population, the ceasefire has not marked a turning point, but rather another chapter in a prolonged crisis where daily survival remains uncertain.