Ministry: Gaza death toll nears 55,000 amid ongoing conflict

The Palestinian Ministry of Health has announced that the death toll in the Gaza Strip reached nearly 54,900 since the armed conflict escalated in October 2023. 

The number of fatalities now stands at 54,880, while over 126,000 Palestinians have been injured during the hostilities, Caliber.Az reports, citing the ministry’s latest update shared on Telegram.

In the past 24 hours, Gaza’s hospitals received the bodies of 108 victims and treated 393 injured individuals, underscoring the continuing intensity of the violence in the region.

On March 18, the Israeli army restarted intense military operations in the Gaza Strip, delivering heavy strikes across the enclave and breaking the ceasefire that had been in place since January. The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attributed this escalation to Hamas’ refusal to accept proposals presented during negotiations by mediators and the US president’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff. Netanyahu’s office stated that the primary goal of the operation in Gaza is the liberation of all hostages held by Hamas. Meanwhile, Hamas and allied groups have blamed Israel and the US for the renewed fighting.

By Naila Huseynova