![Palestinians gather to receive a meal at a charity kitchen in the al-Mawasi area of Khan Younis in southern Gaza [AFP]](https://ras.mv/storage/0oA7AZNNXcun7R6CFw13H2eSY55XezrNbHUoWV3z.webp)
The death toll in Gaza has surpassed 60,000 as the 21-month-long war between Israel and Hamas continues, Gaza’s Health Ministry reported Tuesday. The ongoing Israeli military campaign, launched in response to Hamas' October 7, 2023, attack, has devastated the densely populated strip and displaced nearly 90% of its residents.
According to health officials, overnight airstrikes killed more than two dozen people, most of them women and children. Al-Awda Hospital confirmed that 30 people were killed in Nuseirat refugee camp alone, while another 33 bodies were brought in after gunfire erupted near an aid convoy in the south.
The ministry, which is staffed by medical professionals and regarded by the UN as a reliable source, reported 60,034 deaths and 145,870 injuries since the conflict began. Nearly half of those killed are women and children.
The humanitarian situation is rapidly deteriorating, with the UN warning that Gaza is on the brink of famine. Aid agencies blame severe Israeli restrictions and lawlessness in the territory for hampering the delivery of crucial supplies.
Over 1,000 people seeking aid have been killed by Israeli fire since May, according to the UN and health officials. The Israeli military says it only fires warning shots and blames Hamas for operating in civilian areas. It has not commented on recent incidents or provided its own casualty figures.
Food insecurity has reached crisis levels. The IPC (Integrated Food Security Phase Classification) said Gaza’s hunger situation has “dramatically worsened,” citing increased restrictions on aid and a breakdown of order.
“The facts are in — and they are undeniable,” said UN Secretary-General António Guterres. “Palestinians in Gaza are enduring a humanitarian catastrophe of epic proportions.”
Despite Israeli pledges to improve aid access, deliveries remain sporadic and inadequate. International air drops by Jordan, the UAE, and others have struggled to reach civilians, with some aid landing in unsafe or evacuated areas.
The World Health Organization says at least 60 people, including 24 children, have died this month from hunger-related causes. In total, 88 children have died from malnutrition since the start of the war.
Israel denies using starvation as a weapon of war. Foreign Minister Gideon Saar claimed accusations of deliberate starvation are part of a “distorted campaign of international pressure” that undermines ceasefire efforts.
Meanwhile, ceasefire negotiations have stalled, and both Israeli and U.S. delegations have withdrawn from talks. Hamas is still holding 50 hostages, around 20 believed to be alive, after abducting 251 people in the October attack that also left 1,200 Israelis dead.
The conflict escalated significantly in March when Israel imposed a full blockade, cutting off all aid for over two months. At least 8,867 Palestinians have been killed since that blockade began.
As international calls for an immediate ceasefire grow louder, Gaza’s humanitarian crisis shows no sign of relief.
According to health officials, overnight airstrikes killed more than two dozen people, most of them women and children. Al-Awda Hospital confirmed that 30 people were killed in Nuseirat refugee camp alone, while another 33 bodies were brought in after gunfire erupted near an aid convoy in the south.
The ministry, which is staffed by medical professionals and regarded by the UN as a reliable source, reported 60,034 deaths and 145,870 injuries since the conflict began. Nearly half of those killed are women and children.
The humanitarian situation is rapidly deteriorating, with the UN warning that Gaza is on the brink of famine. Aid agencies blame severe Israeli restrictions and lawlessness in the territory for hampering the delivery of crucial supplies.
Over 1,000 people seeking aid have been killed by Israeli fire since May, according to the UN and health officials. The Israeli military says it only fires warning shots and blames Hamas for operating in civilian areas. It has not commented on recent incidents or provided its own casualty figures.
Food insecurity has reached crisis levels. The IPC (Integrated Food Security Phase Classification) said Gaza’s hunger situation has “dramatically worsened,” citing increased restrictions on aid and a breakdown of order.
“The facts are in — and they are undeniable,” said UN Secretary-General António Guterres. “Palestinians in Gaza are enduring a humanitarian catastrophe of epic proportions.”
Despite Israeli pledges to improve aid access, deliveries remain sporadic and inadequate. International air drops by Jordan, the UAE, and others have struggled to reach civilians, with some aid landing in unsafe or evacuated areas.
The World Health Organization says at least 60 people, including 24 children, have died this month from hunger-related causes. In total, 88 children have died from malnutrition since the start of the war.
Israel denies using starvation as a weapon of war. Foreign Minister Gideon Saar claimed accusations of deliberate starvation are part of a “distorted campaign of international pressure” that undermines ceasefire efforts.
Meanwhile, ceasefire negotiations have stalled, and both Israeli and U.S. delegations have withdrawn from talks. Hamas is still holding 50 hostages, around 20 believed to be alive, after abducting 251 people in the October attack that also left 1,200 Israelis dead.
The conflict escalated significantly in March when Israel imposed a full blockade, cutting off all aid for over two months. At least 8,867 Palestinians have been killed since that blockade began.
As international calls for an immediate ceasefire grow louder, Gaza’s humanitarian crisis shows no sign of relief.
