Israel-Hamas war: More than 55,000 Palestinians killed so far, says Gaza health ministry

The death toll in Gaza from the relentless 20-month-long Israel-Hamas war has now crossed a staggering 55,000, according to a statement released on Wednesday by the Gaza Health Ministry.

This sombre figure marks a grim milestone in a conflict that erupted on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a surprise attack on southern Israel. Notably, the war shows little sign of ending, as devastation continues to mount. The Health Ministry, part of Gaza’s Hamas-run administration but staffed by independent medical professionals, reported that 55,104 people have been killed and at least 127,394 wounded since the fighting began. Officials fear that many more victims remain buried under debris or in areas that are too dangerous or inaccessible for medics to reach.

While the ministry said it does not differentiate between combatants and civilians in its tally, it has stated that women and children account for more than half of the reported deaths. These figures, although regularly questioned by Israeli authorities, have in past conflicts generally aligned with those verified by independent monitors and humanitarian agencies.

Israel maintains that its military operations are aimed strictly at Hamas militants and places the blame for civilian casualties on the militant group itself. Israeli officials accuse Hamas of using densely populated urban areas as operational bases, thus putting civilians directly in harm’s way.

Gaza devastated, aid efforts struggle

Israeli forces have destroyed vast areas of Gaza, displaced about 90% of its population and in recent weeks have transformed more than half of the coastal territory into a military buffer zone that includes the now mostly uninhabited southern city of Rafah. A 2.5-month blockade imposed by Israel when it ended a ceasefire with Hamas raised fears of famine and was slightly eased in May. The launch of a new Israeli- and U.S.-backed aid system has been marred by chaos and violence, and the UN says it has struggled to bring in food because of Israeli restrictions, a breakdown of law and order, and widespread looting.

Israel-Hamas tensions continue

Israel accuses Hamas of siphoning off aid, but the UN and aid groups deny there is any systematic diversion of aid to militants. Hamas has suffered major setbacks militarily, and Israel says it has killed more than 20,000 militants, without providing evidence. The militants still hold 55 hostages — less than half of them believed to be alive — and control areas outside of military zones despite facing rare protests earlier this year. The war began when Hamas-led militants killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, in the Oct. 7 attack and abducted 251 hostages. More than half the captives have been released in ceasefires or other deals. Israeli forces have rescued eight and recovered the remains of dozens more.

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