Gaza death toll nears 61,400 amid Israel’s genocidal war

At least 61,369 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s genocidal war on the Gaza Strip since October 2023, the Health Ministry said on Saturday.

A ministry statement said that 39 bodies were brought to hospitals in the last 24 hours, while 491 people were injured, taking the number of injuries to 152,850 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 21 Palestinians were killed and over 341 injured while trying to get humanitarian aid in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of Palestinians killed while seeking aid to 1,743, with over 12,590 others wounded since May 27.

The ministry reported that 11 people, including children, have died in the past 24 hours due to famine and malnutrition. This brings the total death toll from starvation to 212, among them 98 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 9,862 people and injured 40,809 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.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.