JERUSALEM

Israel has reopened the second of three pipelines supplying water to the Gaza Strip, according to the Israeli Defense Ministry.

The Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories said the pipeline was reopened on Saturday, the Times of Israel newspaper reported.

Opening the pipeline will allow a total of 28.5 million liters of potable water to flow daily, which constitutes a little more than half of what Israel was supplying to Gaza, or nearly 49 million liters per day, before the Palestinian group Hamas launched a surprise attack against Israel on Oct. 7.

Israel has heavily bombarded Gaza since then. It cut off water supplies to Gaza on Oct. 9.

The number of Palestinians killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza has risen to 8,005, including 3,342 children, 2,062 women and 460 elderly people, according to the Health Ministry.

More than 1,400 Israelis have been killed in the conflict.

Israeli army spokesperson Daniel Hagari announced Saturday that Israeli forces were expanding their operations and moving to the "next phase of our war against Hamas," which includes ground operations.

Gaza's 2.3 million residents are meanwhile grappling with shortages of food, water, fuel and medicine due to Israel’s blockade of the enclave.

*Writing by Mahmoud Barakat