At least three Palestinians were killed and several others injured on Sunday in Israeli airstrikes targeting Gaza City and Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip, while the Ministry of Health reported additional fatalities registered at hospitals over the past 24 hours amid the ongoing Israeli genocide and the collapse of the health system.
An Israeli warplane struck a group of civilians in the Tal al‑Hawa neighborhood in southwestern Gaza City, killing one person and wounding others.
In a separate attack, an Israeli drone fired on a group of Palestinians in Beit Lahia, in northern Gaza, killing two and injuring several more.
In central Gaza, Khader Yousef Fayyad died on Sunday from wounds sustained 20 days earlier during Israeli attacks in the area, according to medical sources.
Later in the evening, Israeli forces opened heavy fire toward homes east of Deir al‑Balah, in central Gaza, as armored vehicles advanced from the direction of the Kissufim military site southeast of the city.
Residents reported intense gunfire around civilian homes near the pharmaceutical factory area.
Fatalities and 9 Injuries in the Last 24 Hours
The Ministry of Health said 10 Palestinians were killed and 9 injured in the last 24 hours.
The ministry clarified that the 24‑hour figure includes Palestinians killed in recent attacks, individuals who died of earlier wounds, and bodies recovered from under the rubble of previous bombardments.
Ambulance and civil defense crews continue to report that additional victims remain trapped in destroyed neighborhoods, where rescue access is severely limited due to ongoing Israeli fire and the destruction of roads.
20,000 Patients Waiting for Medical Evacuation
The Ministry of Health warned that more than 20,000 patients and wounded Palestinians are waiting for medical evacuation through the Rafah crossing with Egypt, calling for its immediate, continuous, and unrestricted reopening to allow life‑saving treatment abroad.
The ministry expressed deep concern over the continued partial and irregular operation of the crossing, describing the current mechanism as “insufficient and far below the minimum humanitarian obligations owed to patients and the wounded.”
Aerial footage shows the scale of destruction left by the war in northern Gaza…
Entire neighborhoods have been leveled, and infrastructure reduced to rubble, while civilians’ suffering continues amid a severe shortage of shelter and services.#Gaza #Jabalia pic.twitter.com/bok7y8JdIa— Mahmod Hinawi (@GazaReality) February 15, 2026
It noted that many of those awaiting evacuation include cancer patients, individuals with severe cardiac conditions, kidney‑failure patients, and people with complex injuries requiring advanced surgical care unavailable in Gaza due to the destruction of hospitals and the long‑standing Israeli blockade.
The ministry also cited “painful and distressing testimonies” from patients who managed to leave, reporting harassment, delays, and restrictive procedures that further compound their physical and psychological suffering.
Rafah Border Restrictions Threaten Thousands of Lives
Official data from Gaza show that only 693 people—out of an expected 2,200—were able to travel through Rafah between February 2 and 12, representing a compliance rate of just 31%.
Ismael Thawabta, director of the Government Media Office in Gaza, warned that at the current rate, evacuating the 20,000 registered medical cases would take more than two years, despite the urgent need for immediate treatment. “Every day without medical care is a direct threat to their lives,” he said.
Rising Toll Since October 11
Since the declared “ceasefire” on October 11, 2025, repeatedly violated by Israeli forces, 601 Palestinians have been killed, 1,607 injured, and 726 bodies recovered from destroyed neighborhoods.
Total Killed and Injured Since October 7, 2023
According to the Ministry of Health’s official update issued Sunday, February 15, 2026, the cumulative toll since the beginning of the genocide on October 7, 2023, has reached 72,061 Palestinians killed, and 171,715 Palestinians injured
The majority of the victims are children, women, and elderly civilians, while the toll also includes hundreds of medics, civil defense workers, and journalists killed in the line of duty.
Humanitarian agencies warn that the continued bombardment, the collapse of the health system, and severe restrictions on medical evacuation are accelerating the deterioration of living conditions across the Gaza Strip, pushing the population deeper into an already catastrophic humanitarian crisis.
