Gaza war: Israeli offensive has killed at least 31,726 people in Palestine so far; 73,792 injured since October 7

Israel has killed over 31,726 people in Palestine since October 7, as per the Gaza health ministry. Israeli military offensive has also injured an additional 73,792 people since the Gaza war started, as per an official statement on March 18.

In the last 24 hours, around 81 Palestinians have been killed and 116 injured. 

Early on March 18, Israeli troops raided the compound of Gaza's Al Shifa Hospital. As per Palestinian health authorities, the operation caused multiple casualties and set off a fierce fire in one of the buildings.

The Israeli military claimed that senior Hamas leaders were using the hospital, so it conducted a “precise operation”. It also claimed that, when it entered the premises, shots were fired to attack them.

"The troops responded with live fire and hits were identified. Our troops are continuing to operate in the area of the hospital," it said in a statement.

Al Shifa, the Gaza Strip's biggest hospital before the war, is now one of the only healthcare facilities that is even partially operational in the north of the territory, and is also housing hundreds of displaced civilians.

"Suddenly, we started to hear sounds of explosions, several bombings, and soon tanks started to roll, they came from the western road and headed toward Al Shifa, then sounds of gunfire and explosions increased," Mohammad Ali, 32, a father of two, who lives around one kilometre from the hospital, told Reuters via a chat app.

"We don't know what is happening, but it looked as if it was a re-invasion of the Gaza City," he added, saying that the military activities began at around 1:00 a.m. (2300 GMT Sunday).

Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry said a fire broke out at the entrance of the hospital complex, causing cases of suffocation among displaced women and children sheltering in the hospital. It said communication had been cut off, with people trapped inside the surgery and emergency units of one of the buildings.

"There are casualties, including deaths and injuries, and it's impossible to rescue anyone due to the intensity of the fire and targeting of anyone approaching the windows," the ministry said.

Israeli army drops new leaflets

The Israeli army dropped new leaflets around the hospital in Gaza City.

"To all those who exist or are displaced in Rimal and the displaced in Al Shifa and its vicinity: you are in a dangerous combat zone. The IDF is operating hard in its residential areas to destroy terror infrastructure," said the statement, which ordered the people to take the coastal road towards Al-Mawasi in the southern Gaza Strip.