Palestinian Death Toll In Gaza Tops 73,000 As Israel Continues Launching Strikes Despite Ceasefire

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Palestinian death toll Israel-Hamas war The number has exceeded 73,000, the Gaza Ministry of Health said on Sunday, as Israeli military operations continued despite a stagnant and fragile ceasefire in force since October.

Israel says it targets Hamas and other militants who pose a threat in response to ceasefire violations, including sporadic attacks.

Nearly 1,000 people have been killed in Gaza since the beginning of the ceasefire, according to the health ministry. Five Israeli soldiers have been killed since the ceasefire.

According to the Ministry of Health’s calculation, the death toll since the beginning of the war has reached 73,001. More than 173,200 people have been injured since the war began on October 7, 2023, following the attack on Israel led by Hamas. Approximately 1,200 people died in this attack and 251 people were taken hostage.

The health ministry, which is part of the Hamas-led government, is staffed by medical experts and keeps detailed records that are generally considered reliable by United Nations agencies and independent experts. No distinction is made between civilians and militants, but it is stated that approximately half of the deaths were women and children.

Israel says it is trying to avoid harming civilians and blames Hamas for the deaths because the militants operate in densely populated areas.

A US-brokered ceasefire agreement in October ended full-scale military operations and led to the return of all remaining hostages. However Other elements of the agreement were halted Because Hamas refuses to disarm and Israeli troops advance in Gaza instead of withdrawing. Both sides accuse each other of violating the agreement but say the agreement is still in effect.

Progress on all other issues, including reconstruction, the withdrawal of Israeli troops and the formation of a new Palestinian government, is being hampered by an impasse over the disarmament of Hamas, the top diplomat overseeing the US-brokered ceasefire in Gaza. Nickolay Mladenovhe said.

The war has displaced most of the Palestinian population of more than 2 million, leaving large parts of the area in rubble and leading to widespread shortages of food, medicine and other essential supplies due to the closure of border crossings with Gaza (all but one of which is controlled by Israel).

At least four people were killed and others were injured in an Israeli attack on the Jabaliya refugee camp in northern Gaza on Sunday afternoon, according to medical officials at Shifa hospital, where the injured were taken. An Israeli military official, speaking anonymously in accordance with military guidelines, said the army was “attacking terrorists” in the area, but without elaborating.

A 13-year-old boy was among five Palestinians killed in Gaza on Saturday night and early Sunday morning, according to Palestinian health officials. In response to the Saturday night attacks in which two of the five people died, the Israeli military claimed to have shot Hamas militants.

Magdy reported from Cairo.