Palestinian officials say that more than 20,000 people have been killed in Israel’s offensive in Gaza—or around 1 percent of the territory's pre-war population.
The figure, from the Hamas-run health ministry, came amid a standoff at the United Nations Security Council over a resolution calling for a ceasefire. The United States, one of five permanent members of the council with veto power, is blocking the resolution, partly because it would give the U.N. sole responsibility for screening aid supplies being sent into Gaza, which Israel insists it must also be able to inspect.
The Associated Press reported that the U.S. was backing a resolution that calls for “creating the conditions” for a ceasefire, rather than an immediate end to the fighting, but other countries are pushing for stronger language.
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The U.S. ambassador to the U.N., Lisa Thomas-Greenfield, said after a closed-doors meeting of the council on Thursday night that a compromise had been reached to allow desperately needed aid into the enclave.
Israel launched its invasion of Gaza after the death of 1,200 Israelis in a brutal surprise attack by Hamas on Oct. 7, in which the terror group also took more than 200 hostages.
As Israel continues to step up and broaden its offensive, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promising to eradicate Hamas, U.N. aid officials warned Thursday that up to a quarter of Gazans faced starvation as a result of the war.
The Gaza health ministry said that 20,057 Palestinians had been killed and 53,320 wounded since Oct. 7. Gaza had an official pre-war population of just over 2 million.
