In the ongoing Israeli War on Gaza, the Palestinian Ministry of Health has revealed a grim update on the death toll, indicating that at least 24,448 Palestinians have lost their lives in the conflict. The situation has reached a critical point on the 103rd day of the war.
Throughout the night, Khan Yunis, the largest city in the southern Gaza Strip, faced relentless air strikes and artillery fire, according to an AFP correspondent on the ground. The Hamas government in Gaza described it as the most challenging and intense night since the commencement of hostilities.
Hamas’s October 7 attacks on Israel, a historic event, triggered a series of events leading to widespread devastation. Official Israeli figures, as per an AFP tally, report approximately 1,140 casualties, predominantly civilians. The toll includes 81 reported deaths across the Palestinian territory, according to Gaza’s health ministry.
The conflict has taken a toll on Gaza, where at least 24,448 Palestinians have lost their lives, with around 70 percent of them being women, young children, and adolescents. The Gaza health ministry’s latest figures underscore the humanitarian crisis, aggravated by Israeli bombardments and ground assaults.
During the October 7 attacks, Hamas and other militants seized about 250 hostages, and although approximately 132 remain in Gaza, at least 27 are believed to have been killed. The fate of those still in captivity has become a focal point in Israeli society, while the broader humanitarian crisis in Gaza, marked by the looming threat of famine and disease, has intensified international calls for an immediate ceasefire.