DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) Hospitals in the Gaza Strip reported receiving the remains of 51 Palestinians killed in Israeli airstrikes over the past 24 hours, according to the local Health Ministry. This grim update raises the Palestinian death toll from the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, which has lasted 18 months, to a staggering 52,243.
Israel marked the end of its ceasefire with Hamas on March 18 by launching a surprise bombardment, intensifying ongoing military operations. The Israeli military has conducted daily waves of airstrikes and ground forces have expanded a buffer zone, effectively encircling the southern city of Rafah and reportedly controlling about 50% of the territory.
In conjunction with military actions, Israel has implemented a comprehensive blockade on Gaza's 2 million residents, cutting off all imports, including essential food and medical supplies, for nearly 60 days. Humanitarian organizations have warned that supplies are running dangerously low, with thousands of children facing malnutrition.
The Health Ministry's latest tally indicates that the overall death toll includes nearly 700 bodies for which the documentation process has been finalized. The daily casualties often comprise remains retrieved from the rubble of previous airstrikes. Reports indicate that another 23 individuals were killed following the ministry's update, highlighting the ongoing violence and instability.
Mournful accounts emerged from Deir al-Balah, where Eyad Omar lamented the loss of his son, asking, "My son, my son, why did you go out, my son?" This illustrates the profound impact the conflict has had on families and communities across the region.
Israeli officials have stated that the renewed military offensives and the tightened blockade are strategies designed to exert pressure on Hamas for the release of hostages taken during the group's attack on October 7, 2023, which triggered the current war. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has asserted a commitment to continue military operations until Hamas is dismantled or disarmed, and all hostages are returned.
Hamas has stated that it will only release the remaining 59 hostages — 24 of whom are believed to be alive — in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire, and a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, as proposed in a now-defunct ceasefire agreement established in January.
The October 7 attack by Hamas militants resulted in approximately 1,200 fatalities, mostly among civilians, along with the abduction of 251 people. Many hostages have been freed through ceasefire arrangements or other negotiations.
According to Gaza's Health Ministry, women and children comprise the majority of the Palestinian casualties; however, the ministry does not specify how many of the deceased were combatants versus civilians. The ongoing violence has also left around 117,600 people wounded in the conflict.
Since Israel resumed its military actions last month, an additional 2,151 people have died and 5,598 have been wounded, according to the latest figures. The Israeli military claims to have eliminated around 20,000 militants, although it has not provided substantiating evidence. The military further asserts that it endeavors to minimize civilian casualties and blames Hamas for such deaths due to its operations in densely populated areas.
The ongoing offensive has devastated vast swathes of Gaza, displacing approximately 90% of its population. This humanitarian crisis has resulted in hundreds of thousands of individuals seeking refuge in overcrowded tent camps or inside battered buildings, exacerbating an already dire situation.
