Intense Israeli bombardment and ground operations, along with heavy fighting between Israeli forces and Palestinian armed groups, continue to be reported across much of the Gaza Strip, particularly in the Hamad area northwest of Khan Younis. This has led to additional civilian casualties, displacement, and the destruction of houses and civilian infrastructure.
According to the Ministry of Health (MoH) in Gaza, between the afternoon of March 8 and 09:30 on March 11, 234 Palestinians were killed, and 358 Palestinians were injured.
This includes 67 killed and 106 injured in the past 24 hours. From October 7, 2023, to March 11, 2024, at least 31,112 Palestinians were killed in Gaza, with 72,760 Palestinians injured. Among the injured, 72 percent are women and children.
Several deadly incidents were reported between March 8 and 10:
1. On March 8, around 11:45, 12 Palestinians were reportedly killed when two houses in the Al Qarara area, northeast of Khan Younis, were hit.
2. On March 8, at about 15:40, at least eight Palestinians were reportedly killed, and 60 others injured, when a residential building in the Az Zawayda area, Deir al Balah, was hit.
3. On March 8, at around 16:46, at least three Palestinians were reportedly killed when an apartment in the Brazil neighbourhood, south of Rafah, was hit.
4. On March 8, during the day, at least five Palestinians were reportedly killed when airdropped humanitarian aid fell on Palestinians due to parachute malfunctions near Al Fayrouz Towers in Gaza City.
5. On March 9, at about 11:00, 13 Palestinians were reportedly killed when two houses in western An Nuseirat were hit.
6. On March 9, at around 18:40, five Palestinians were reportedly killed, and others injured, when a house in the Al Baraka area in Deir al Balah was hit, with some still under the rubble.
7. On March 10, at about 6:20, 15 Palestinians were reportedly killed, and others injured, when tents used by internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the Al Mawasi area were hit.
Between the afternoons of March 8 and 11, the Israeli military reported two soldiers killed in Gaza. As of March 11, 247 soldiers have been killed and 1,474 soldiers injured in Gaza since the start of the ground operation. Over 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals have been killed in Israel, with an estimated 134 remaining captive in Gaza, according to Israeli authorities.
The hostilities in Gaza continue to endanger humanitarian aid workers. On March 8, Anera reported the death of its logistics coordinator in Gaza, along with 30-50 other people, in an Israeli airstrike on a shelter in Deir al Balah. The shelter’s coordinates had been shared with Israeli authorities. Anera emphasized the urgent need for an independent investigation and measures to ensure the safety of aid workers.
The malnutrition crisis in Gaza is accelerating, driven by a lack of food, water, and health services, according to the World Food Programme (WFP). This crisis poses long-term health risks, disproportionately affecting women and children, with 90 per cent of mothers and children not having a diverse diet. As of March 10, the MoH in Gaza reported 25 deaths due to malnutrition and dehydration in northern Gaza. Save the Children emphasized the critical need for a ceasefire and the unimpeded flow of humanitarian aid and goods into Gaza, highlighting the urgency of addressing malnutrition.
On March 8, UNFPA, OCHA, and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) conducted a rapid assessment of Al Ahli and As Sahaba hospitals in Gaza City. Al Ahli Hospital, severely damaged, is relying on limited staff and volunteers, treating up to 50 patients with an urgent need for specialized equipment and fuel. As Sahaba Hospital, specializing in maternity care, faces extreme shortages of oxygen and anaesthetics, performing C-section cases with local anaesthetics. An inter-agency team delivered maternity equipment and medicine to both hospitals, while UNFPA provided reproductive health kits to As Sahaba Hospital. WHO delivered orthopaedic and trauma items and fuel to both hospitals. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus reiterated the need for sustained, safe access to health facilities to provide urgently needed healthcare consistently.
WEST BANK UPDATE
On March 8, the Israeli military reported that seven Israeli soldiers were wounded near the Israeli settlement of Homesh due to an explosion, allegedly caused by Palestinians. The explosion occurred following armed Palestinians opened fire at a military post near the settlement. In response, Israeli forces initiated a manhunt in Nablus city and surrounding villages.
Since October 7, a total of 417 Palestinians have been killed, and 4,665 Palestinians have been injured, including 718 children, across the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and Israel. In the ongoing year, 102 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank and Israel, compared to 78 in the same period in 2023, with the majority of casualties attributed to Israeli forces.
During the same period, 15 Israelis, including four members of the Israeli forces, have been killed, and 97 have been injured in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and Israel.
In 2024, approximately 560 Palestinians, including 212 children, have been displaced across the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, due to the demolition of their homes, estimated at 116 houses. Over 300 of these displacements occurred during operations conducted by Israeli forces, primarily in refugee camps in Tulkarm and Jenin governorates. This marks a significant increase compared to the equivalent period in 2023 when only 21 people were displaced in similar contexts.
The remaining displacements included 36 per cent due to home demolitions for lack of Israeli-issued building permits and 8 per cent on punitive grounds.
On March 10, Israeli forces heavily deployed at entrances leading to the old city of Jerusalem, preventing the entry of young Palestinian men through the gates of Al Aqsa Mosque. Reports also indicate physical assaults by Israeli forces on Palestinians, including women and older individuals. Since October 7, although not officially announced, the Israeli authorities have imposed substantial restrictions on access to the Al Aqsa Mosque compound on Fridays.
Between October 7, 2023, and March 7, 2024, a total of 866 Palestinians, including 358 children, have been displaced due to the destruction of their houses during operations carried out by Israeli forces. The majority of these displacements (93 per cent) occurred in the refugee camps of Nur Shams, Tulkarm, and Jenin, where Israeli forces also regularly bulldozed roads and caused extensive damage to electricity, water, and sewage infrastructure.
During the same period, OCHA has documented 626 Israeli settler attacks against Palestinians resulting in casualties (56 incidents), damage to Palestinian-owned property (499 incidents), or both casualties and damage to property (71 incidents).
