GAZA: The death toll in Gaza has exceeded 50,000 as Israeli forces resumed heavy bombardment following the breakdown of a fragile truce.
Gaza’s health ministry reported on Sunday that at least 50,021 people have been killed since the conflict began in October 2023. The number of injured has risen to 113,274.
The figures, released by Gaza’s civil defense agency and health ministry, reflect the severe humanitarian toll of the conflict. While the numbers have not been independently verified, the United Nations considers the health ministry’s data generally reliable.
The latest surge in casualties comes after Israeli airstrikes and ground operations resumed earlier this week. The ceasefire, which had largely held since January 19, collapsed on Tuesday, triggering intensified military action across Gaza.
At least 39 Palestinians were reported killed in the last 24 hours alone, bringing the total number of deaths since the resumption of hostilities to 673, according to health officials in Gaza.
In addition to the fatalities, Gaza’s health ministry confirmed that 233 people previously listed as missing have now been declared dead.
A study published in The Lancet in early January suggested that the actual death toll in Gaza during the first nine months of the war was roughly 40 percent higher than the figures reported by Gaza’s health authorities at the time.
The ongoing conflict was sparked by the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which left 1,218 people dead, most of them civilians, according to Israeli officials. Israel’s military campaign in response has resulted in large-scale destruction and mass displacement within Gaza, where humanitarian conditions continue to deteriorate.
International calls for a renewed ceasefire and humanitarian access have intensified amid reports of worsening conditions for civilians trapped in the war zone.
