Gaza dead buried in streets as living flee homes

STORY: As the death toll soars – Gaza’s cemeteries are full.

The Khan Younis community is now burying their dead next to homes after days of Israeli airstrikes.

Gaza has been under Israeli bombardment since Saturday (October 7) after Islamist militant group Hamas sent hundreds of fighters into Israel who killed 1,300 people and took scores of hostages.

Space for those killed in Israel's retaliation is at a premium, as Gazan Adel Hammad explains.

“Since 10 pm yesterday until early today, more than 50 martyrs in Khan Younis and the death-toll is constantly rising. We cannot contain burials in a specific place, so graves are dug randomly in various places around houses and in places donated by land owners.”

Funerals are held street side as the Khan Younis cemetery is not only too crowded.

It’s difficult to reach and dangerously near the most-bombed border areas.

Some of those fleeing the bombardment have gathered at the al-Shifa hospital where the courtyard has been turned into makeshift shelters.

“I have spent my 11 years in fear and anxiety. We left our home and stayed in the streets. There are planes - it's all scary."

It’s the same story at this school, now home to hundreds, set up by the United Nations Relief and Works agency.

But vital lifelines of food, water, medicine, fuel and electricity have been cut off by Israel in response to Saturday's bloody rampage, and are now in short supply.

"When I first wake up I go to wash my face, but there's no water, even to shower there is no water. We go from bathroom to bathroom to find water. It's really not nice to live here, maybe it would be better to be home."

The World Food Programme's Brian Lander told Reuters food is starting to run out and a humanitarian crisis is looming for the 2.3 million in the enclave.

“I think our concern is that unless we're able to access those communities, the people that are in need, the civilian population, there's going to be an extreme situation for them, both in terms of having the food to survive, the water to survive and the other services even shelter over their heads."

Israel’s continuous airstrikes have reduced parts of Gaza to rubble.

Authorities in the enclave say more than 1,400 people have been killed and more than 6,000 have been wounded.

Israel says the siege on the Strip won’t stop and there will be no humanitarian exceptions until hostages taken by Hamas are freed.