Gaza death toll exceeds 64,750 as Israel continues genocidal war on Palestinians

ISTANBUL

At least 64,756 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s genocidal war on the Gaza Strip since October 2023, the Health Ministry said on Friday.

A ministry statement said that 38 bodies, including two recovered from under rubble, were brought to hospitals over the last 24 hours, while 200 people were injured, bringing the overall number of injuries to 164,059.

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

The ministry also noted that 14 Palestinians were killed and 143 others injured by Israeli fire while seeking humanitarian aid in the last 24 hours, raising the total number of Palestinians killed while seeking aid to 2,479, with more than 18,091 others injured since May 27.

It further said that two more Palestinians, including a child, died of malnutrition and starvation in the last 24 hours. This brought the famine-linked death toll since October 2023 to 413 people, including 143 children.

According to the ministry, 135 of those deaths, among them 28 children, occurred after the UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) formally declared Gaza a famine zone.

Since March 2, Israeli authorities have kept all Gaza crossings completely closed, pushing the territory’s 2.4 million people into famine.

The ministry added that 12,206 Palestinians have been killed and 52,018 injured since March 18, when Israel resumed its assault on Gaza, shattering a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement that had taken effect 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.