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02/17/2026, 07:4102/17/2026, 07:41
On Sunday, the Civil Defense Authority in the Gaza Strip said that at least eleven Palestinians were killed in Israeli airstrikes. Civil defense spokesman Mahmoud Basal said Israeli aircraft carried out strikes in several areas from dawn to midday.
The civil defense puts the total number of deaths since October 7, 2023 at 72,061, with 171,715 injured. These numbers agree with a study by Max Planck Society.
Since the ceasefire began in October 2025, Hamas and Israel have accused each other of violating it. According to the health authority in Gaza, 601 Palestinians have been killed and 1,607 injured since then.
Authorities also said on Sunday that the Rafah border crossing into Egypt would operate under strict restrictions. The partial reopening of the crossing on February 2, 2026 will only allow a small number of travelers to leave the country and will therefore fall far short of the minimum humanitarian obligations towards the sick and injured. According to the authorities, more than 20,000 patients – including seriously ill people with cancer, heart disease, kidney failure and serious injuries – are waiting for treatment abroad.
Access to medical treatment is a human right protected by international law. The crossing has been nearly closed since May 2024 after Israeli forces took control, further isolating the Gaza Strip and deepening the humanitarian crisis. (emm/reuters)
More deaths despite ceasefire in Gaza
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