The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas has resulted in a death toll surpassing 73,000 Palestinians, as confirmed by Gaza’s Health Ministry on Sunday. Despite a ceasefire agreement reached in October, Israel has continued to conduct strikes within Gaza, citing threats posed by Hamas and other militants, as well as in response to ceasefire violations. Five Israeli soldiers have lost their lives since the truce was implemented.
Zaher al-Waheidi from the ministry’s records department and Hamza Salem from the public relations department provided the latest Palestinian death toll update, which now stands at 73,001. On Sunday, five individuals lost their lives, with two fatalities in Khan Younis, one in central Gaza, and two succumbing to previous injuries. The Health Ministry reported that over 173,200 people have been wounded since the conflict began.
The war was triggered by a Hamas-led attack into Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in the deaths of 1,200 individuals and the capture of 251 others, according to Israeli reports. The Health Ministry, operating under the Hamas-led government, maintains detailed records viewed as reliable by international agencies and experts, without distinguishing between civilians and militants. Approximately half of all fatalities are reported to be women and children.
While Israel claims to make efforts to avoid civilian casualties and attributes such deaths to Hamas’ presence in densely populated areas, the ceasefire deal brokered by the U.S. in October has not fully materialized. Disarmament resistance from Hamas and Israel’s continued military actions in Gaza have hindered progress on various aspects of the agreement, including reconstruction, troop withdrawals, and the formation of a new Palestinian government. The conflict has led to widespread displacement, destruction, and shortages of essential supplies in Gaza.