Gaza death toll tops 42,900 with no letup in Israeli assault

At least 77 more Palestinians were killed in relentless Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip over the last two days, pushing up the overall death toll since last year to 42,924, the Health Ministry in the enclave said on Saturday.

Some 100,833 others have also been injured in the year-long, ongoing Israeli assault on Gaza, according to a ministry statement.

“The Israeli occupation has committed seven massacres of families in the last 48 hours, resulting in 77 deaths and 289 injuries,” the ministry said.

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

Flouting a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire, Israel has continued its brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip since an attack by Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023.

The Israeli onslaught has displaced almost the entire population of the territory amid an ongoing blockade that has led to severe shortages of food, clean water, and medicine.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its actions in Gaza.