Gaza death toll tops 65,200 as Israel’s destructive war continues unabated

At least 65,208 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s genocidal war on the Gaza Strip since October 2023, the Health Ministry said Saturday in its latest update.

A ministry statement said 34 bodies were brought to hospitals in the last 24 hours, while 200 people were injured, bringing the number of injuries in the Israeli onslaught to 166,271.

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

The ministry also said that four Palestinians were killed and over 18 injured while trying to get humanitarian aid in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of Palestinians killed while seeking aid to 2,518, with over 18,449 others wounded since May 27.

Many aid groups and international organizations have called the current Israeli-approved aid system a death trap, with hundreds of starving Palestinians killed by Israel while seeking aid.

The ministry said that four 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 440 people, including 147 children.

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

Famine has been confirmed in northern Gaza, and is projected to expand to Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis in central and southern Gaza by the end of September, according to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC).

Since the IPC declared famine in Gaza, 164 people have starved to death, including 32 children, the ministry added.

Since resuming its attacks on the Gaza Strip on March 18, the Israeli army has killed 12,653 people and injured 54,230 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.