Gaza death toll tops 61,700 amid relentless Israeli attacks

ISTANBUL

At least 61,722 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s genocidal war on the Gaza Strip since October 2023, the Health Ministry said on Wednesday.

A ministry statement said that 123 bodies were brought to hospitals in the last 24 hours, while 437 people were injured, taking the total number of injuries to 154,525 since the war began.

“Many victims are still trapped under the rubble and on the roads as ambulance and civil defense teams are unable to reach them,” it added.

The ministry noted that 21 Palestinians were killed and 185 others injured by Israeli strikes while trying to get humanitarian aid in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of Palestinians killed while seeking aid to 1,859, with more than 13,594 others wounded since May 27.

It also reported that eight people, including three children, have died in the past 24 hours due to famine and malnutrition. This brings the total death toll from starvation to 235, including 106 children, as the humanitarian crisis in the enclave deepens.

The Israeli army resumed its attacks on the Gaza Strip on March 18 and has since killed 10,201 people and injured 42,484 others, shattering a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement that took hold in January.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.