Gaza death toll passes 61,400 as Israel’s destructive war continues unabatated

At least 61,430 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s genocidal war on the Gaza Strip since October 2023, the Health Ministry said on Sunday.

A ministry statement said that 61 bodies were brought to hospitals in the last 24 hours, while 363 people were injured, taking the number of injuries to 153,213 in the Israeli onslaught.

“Many victims are still trapped under the rubble and on the roads as rescuers are unable to reach them,” it added.

The ministry also noted that 35 Palestinians were killed and over 304 injured by israeli strikes while trying to get humanitarian aid in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of Palestinians killed while seeking aid to 1,778, with over 12,894 others wounded since May 27.

The ministry reported that five people, including two children, have died in the past 24 hours due to famine and malnutrition. This brings the total death toll from starvation to 217, among them 100 children, as the humanitarian crisis in the enclave deepens.

The Israeli army resumed its attacks on the Gaza Strip on March 18 and has since killed 9,921 people and injured 41,172 others, shattering a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement that took hold in January.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.