Gaza Health Ministry reports 152 killed in July, highest toll this year

Gaza's Health Ministry announced on Saturday that 152 people were killed in the besieged enclave during July, marking the highest monthly death toll recorded since the beginning of the year as Israeli forces continue to violate the fragile ceasefire agreement.

Disproportionate civilian impact

The ministry said in a statement that the victims included 21 children, 14 women and four elderly people, adding that the figures reflected the direct impact of continued escalation on densely populated residential areas. Data from the Health Information Center showed a sharp increase in fatalities across the Gaza Strip during the past month.

Ceasefire violations mount

Despite a ceasefire agreement that took effect on October 10, Israel has continued to violate the truce, killing 1,222 people and injuring 4,053 others since then, according to the ministry. The overall death toll since the start of Israel's war on Gaza in October 2023 has risen to 73,349, with 174,162 people injured.

Infrastructure devastation

In addition to the human toll, Israel's military campaign has destroyed about 90% of Gaza's civilian infrastructure, leaving hospitals, schools and water facilities in ruins. The UN has estimated reconstruction costs at around $70 billion, with relief agencies warning that the scale of destruction exceeds any previous conflict in the territory.