The death toll in Gaza has crossed 70,000 after recent Israeli strikes killed dozens in the occupied enclave, said the Gaza Health Ministry, which the UN considers credible.
The actual death toll, according to the ministry, stands beyond the stated figure, since tens of thousands are believed to be trapped under the rubble, while thousands are still missing since the start of the Israeli invasion of Gaza following the October Hamas attacks in 2023. Besides, the invasion has left more than 200,000 injured, with some having life-altering injuries; the fighting has displaced the majority of the pre-war 2.2 million population.
According to the UN, several thousand Palestinians living in Gaza have fled their homes in pursuit of a better life outside, mostly in Turkiye, and the rest of the EU. The health ministry on Saturday revised the documented death toll to 70,100, noting that more than 354 people have died since the ceasefire went into effect on October 10.
Meanwhile, Egyptian search and rescue teams working alongside local civil defence crews are searching to identify bodies buried under the rubble of destroyed buildings and elsewhere. On Sunday, the officials said they discovered the remains of more than 600 people buried under the rubble since October 7.
Both sides are accusing each other of violating the peace deal, yet neither acknowledges fearing the international backlash. The Israeli military said on Saturday that it had "eliminated" three people in Gaza, claiming they approached and posed a threat to its troops operating in the south.
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