According to the Health Ministry, the Death Toll in Gaza Has Exceeded 70,000 Since the Start of the War

According to the Hamas-run Ministry of Health in Gaza, the number of Palestinians killed during Israel’s military operation has surpassed 70,000. Since the ceasefire took effect on October 10, the toll has continued to climb: Israel has carried out strikes, saying it is responding to violations of the agreement, while bodies are still being recovered from the rubble. Among the dead were two brothers, Fadi and Juma Abu Assi, reportedly killed on Saturday. Their family says an Israeli drone strike hit them while they were gathering firewood.

The Israel Defense Forces said they had struck two suspects who crossed the so-called yellow line. This line marks the limit to which Israeli forces agreed to withdraw under a ceasefire brokered by the United States more than seven weeks ago. Media reports say that the boys who died were about eight and ten or eleven years old. Relatives say the children had gone to collect firewood east of Khan Younis in southern Gaza, where they were killed. Their funeral was held on Saturday at Nasser Hospital.

Gaza’s Ministry of Health figures are widely used throughout the war and are regarded as credible by the UN and international organizations, although Israel routinely challenges the data released by local authorities. Israel does not allow foreign journalists to enter Gaza independently, preventing them from verifying claims made by either side. The Gaza health ministry says the death toll has reached 70,100, with more than 350 fatalities recorded since the October 10 ceasefire.