A ten-year-old Palestinian girl died today after sustaining head injuries during Israel’s three-day assault on Gaza.
Layan Al-Shaer from Khan Yunis, in the south of the Gaza Strip, was transferred to Al-Makassed Hospital in Palestine’s occupied East Jerusalem on Tuesday as her medical condition deteriorated.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health said that Layan had been hit by shrapnel that damaged vital areas in her brain.
According to Wafa news agency, her death has raised the total number of Palestinians killed to 48, including four women and 17 children. Moreover, another 360 Palestinians, including 151 children, were wounded.
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Medical sources said that several of the wounded are in critical conditions and the number of deaths is likely to rise.
Home to 2.3 million people, Gaza has been reeling under a crippling Israeli blockade since 2007, badly affecting livelihoods in the seaside territory.
Earlier this week, government spokesman Salama Marouf called for ending Israel’s policy of collective punishment against Gaza’s population.
“We appeal to the international community to lift the blockade imposed on Gaza,” he added.