Gaza death toll nears 48,400 as more bodies found in rubble

Palestinian medics and rescue teams recovered 23 more bodies from the rubble in the Gaza Strip, pushing the overall death toll from Israel’s genocidal war since October 2023 to 48,388, the Health Ministry said on Saturday.

A ministry statement said the toll included two Palestinians killed by Israeli fire in the last 48 hours.

According to the ministry, 23 injured people were also admitted to hospitals, taking the number of the injured to 111,803 in the Israeli onslaught.

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

A ceasefire agreement has been in place in Gaza since Jan. 19, halting the Israeli war that has caused widespread destruction and left the Palestinian enclave in ruins.

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