The Palestinian death toll in Gaza reached another grim milestone on Saturday, surpassing 70,000 people killed since Oct. 7, 2023. Despite the ongoing ceasefire, the death toll continues to rise, as medics recover bodies buried under rubble throughout the Strip.
Israeli forces also continue to launch strikes inside the enclave, citing the risk of Hamas militants firing on troops. However, on Saturday, two of the “suspects” killed by an Israeli drone strike were later identified as brothers, aged 10 and 12.
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Palestinian death toll surpasses 70,000
On Saturday, the Gaza Health Ministry announced that the Palestinian death toll in the enclave has reached 70,100. This figure exclusively reflects those who were killed by military fire, and not other causes such as malnutrition, famine or disease.
While the ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its death toll, a database maintained by Israeli military intelligence suggests that 83% of those killed since the start of the war have been civilians.
Israel launched its offensive in Gaza following Hamas’ surprise attack on the country on Oct. 7, 2023, which saw 1,200 Israelis killed and another 251 taken hostage.
State of the ceasefire
The death toll is continuing to climb despite a ceasefire, which is nearing its second month. On Oct. 10, Israel and Hamas entered into a U.S.-brokered agreement aimed at ending hostilities in the region.
The first phase of that agreement is coming to a close, as Hamas has returned all but four of the hostages –– both dead and living –– in its captivity. The Israeli military has also withdrawn its forces to agreed-upon areas, known as the “Yellow Line.”
On Nov. 17, the United Nations Security Council approved a resolution paving the way for phase two of the ceasefire. The resolution allows for the creation of an International Stabilization Force, tasked with overseeing the borders between Gaza and Israel, providing security for the region and demilitarizing the territory.
Death toll continues to climb
However, the Israeli military has continued to carry out strikes in Gaza. Its troops have also exchanged gunfire with Hamas militants still trapped in tunnels in areas of the enclave occupied by Israel.
Since the ceasefire went into effect, at least 354 Palestinians have been killed, and another 906 have been wounded. Additionally, the bodies of 606 people have been recovered and identified, contributing to a higher death toll.
On Saturday, two of the newly killed included brothers Fadi and Goma Abu Assi, aged 10 and 12. According to Reuters, the brothers’ uncle said that they were killed in an Israeli drone strike as they collected firewood for their father, who is in a wheelchair.
The Times of Israel notes that the Israeli military described the boys as “suspects” who crossed the Yellow Line near Khan Younis in southern Gaza. The military said Fadi and Goma were engaged in “suspicious activity in the ground” and that they “posed an immediate threat.”
“They are children…what did they do?” the boys’ uncle, Mohamed Abu Assi, told Reuters. “They do not have missiles or bombs, they went to gather wood for their father so he can start a fire.”
Israeli attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank
Meanwhile, Israeli attacks on Palestinians living in the West Bank have continued. On Saturday, six people, including a pregnant woman, were injured when Israeli settlers attacked a family.
United Nations data shows a record 260 settler attacks in October, the most in a single month since 2006. A separate U.N. report notes that since 2023, violence and restrictions have displaced more than 3,200 Palestinians living in the region.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog has condemned the violence in the occupied West Bank, calling it “shocking and serious.”
