ISTANBUL

At least 63,633 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s genocidal war on the Gaza Strip since October 2023, as 13 more people, including three children, died of starvation in the enclave, the Health Ministry said on Tuesday.

A ministry statement said that 76 bodies were brought to hospitals in the last 24 hours, while 281 people were injured, taking the number of injuries to 160,914 in the Israeli onslaught.

“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 12 Palestinians were killed and over 90 others injured by Israeli army fire while trying to get humanitarian aid in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of Palestinians killed while seeking aid to 2,306, with over 16,929 others wounded since May 27.

The ministry said that 13 more Palestinians, including three children, died of malnutrition and starvation in the last 24 hours. This brought the famine-linked death toll since October 2023 to 361 people, including 130 children.

The ministry noted that 185 people, including 12 children, died of starvation in August alone, the highest monthly figure recorded since Israel’s war on the enclave began nearly two years ago.

The ministry said 70 of the deaths occurred after the UN-backed hunger monitoring system Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) formally declared Gaza a famine zone last month.

Health officials reported that more than 43,000 children aged under 5 are suffering from malnutrition, alongside 55,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women.

They added that 67% of pregnant women are now anemic, the most alarming rate documented in years.

The ministry warned of catastrophic consequences if emergency food and medical supplies are not delivered immediately, citing the rapid escalation of hunger-related deaths.

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

The Israeli army resumed its attacks on the Gaza Strip on March 18 and has since killed 11,402 people and injured 48,900 others, shattering a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement that took hold 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.