GAZA: Gaza's deadliest war showed no signs of abating as the Muslim holy month of Ramadhan began Monday amid a gruelling humanitarian crisis that has pushed much of the territory to the brink of starvation.
UN and aid groups say only a fraction of the supplies needed for Gaza's 2.4 million people have been allowed in since Israel placed it under near-total siege after the October 7 attack.
As the Muslim world welcomed Ramadhan with the customary daytime fast, many Gazans awoke to bombardment that saw residents once more search through the rubble of destroyed homes for survivors and bodies.
"The start of Ramadhan has been sad and covered in darkness, with the taste and stench of blood everywhere," said one displaced Palestinian man, Awni al-Kayyal, 50.
"The Israeli occupation does not want us to have any joy during Ramadhan. We do not have any food for our iftar table," he said, referring to the fast-breaking evening meal.
Fighting meanwhile raged on across Gaza, with the Israeli military reporting that troops killed 15 Palestinian fighters "in close encounters, sniper file and air strikes".
It added that "several operatives were arrested" during raids on homes in southern Gaza, while witnesses reported violent clashes in several areas through the night.
Gaza's health ministry said at least 67 people were killed over the past 24 hours.
The government media office said separately that more than 40 air strikes targeted homes in Khan Yunis, Gaza City and other areas.
In Saudi Arabia, King Salman called in his Ramadhan message for the international community to "uphold its responsibilities to put an end to these heinous crimes" in Gaza.
UN chief Antonio Guterres expressed his "solidarity and support to all those suffering from the horrors in Gaza. In these trying times, the spirit of Ramadhan is a beacon of hope, a reminder of our shared humanity."
Responding to growing US and domestic pressure, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday said most Israelis back "the action that we're taking to destroy the remaining battalions".
He said Israel's military had killed "at least 13,000 fighters", without detailing how the figure was derived.
Israel believes that 99 hostages still in Gaza remain alive and 31 have died.
The UN has reported particular difficulty in accessing northern Gaza for deliveries of food and other aid.
What is available in the south is sold at exorbitant prices, residents say, making this Ramadhan harder than any before. — AFP
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