PARIS, November 9. /TASS/. The number of civilians killed in the Palestinian territories over the past month has already exceeded the death toll from the conflict in Ukraine, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh has told the Paris conference on the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.

"How many Palestinians are to die for this war to end? Are six children and four women dying every hour enough? Are 10,000 dead in 30 days enough? That's more than those who died over 530 days in Ukraine. Is a month without medications, water and electricity enough? Mr. President [French President Emmanuel Macron], the tragedy that the Palestinian people are now experiencing began for us not on October 7, but 75 years ago: in the refugee camps, in the West Bank [of Jordan River], in Jerusalem, amid the blockade and war in the Gaza Strip," Shtayyeh stressed.

On October 13, UN Deputy High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Adedeji Ebo said that the conflict in Ukraine since February 2022 had resulted in the deaths of at least 9,806 civilians, with more than 17,900 others injured. According to the latest data, the number of victims of Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip has increased to 10,569.

Tensions flared up again in the Middle East on October 7 when militants from the radical Palestinian group Hamas staged a surprise attack on Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip. Hamas described its operation as a response to the aggressive actions of Israeli authorities against the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem’s Old City. Israel has declared a total blockade of the Gaza Strip and carried out air strikes on the Palestinian enclave, as well as some areas of Lebanon and Syria. Clashes are also underway in the West Bank.

Israel Defense Forces spokesman Daniel Hagari said on October 27 that the Jewish state was expanding its ground military operation in Gaza.