DEIR EL-BALAH — Gaza’s Health Ministry said Sunday that the Palestinian death toll from the Israel-Hamas war has climbed past 73,000.
The updated figure was released as Israeli strikes continued despite a fragile ceasefire agreement reached in October.
The ministry’s count was confirmed by Zaher al-Waheidi, who heads its records department, and Hamza Salem of its public relations office.
According to the ministry, the total number of people killed since the war began has now reached 73,001.
Officials said five deaths were recorded on Sunday, including two in the southern city of Khan Younis and one in central Gaza. Two other people died from wounds sustained earlier, the ministry said.
More than 173,200 people have been wounded since the conflict began. The war was triggered by the Hamas-led attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.
An Israeli strike on Saturday evening killed two Palestinians in Khan Younis. The casualties were taken to Nasser hospital, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent Society. The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The health ministry, part of the Hamas-led government, is staffed by medical professionals and maintains detailed records viewed as generally reliable by United Nations agencies and independent experts. It does not say how many of those killed were civilians or militants.
It says women and children make up around half of all fatalities.
Israel says it tries to avoid harming civilians and blames their deaths on Hamas because the militants operate in densely populated areas. It says it is carrying out strikes against militants who pose a threat, and in response to ceasefire violations, including occasional attacks.
The U.S.-brokered ceasefire deal reached in October ended full-scale military operations and led to the return of all the remaining hostages.
But other elements of the deal have stalled as Hamas has refused to disarm and Israeli troops have advanced, rather than withdrawn, since the deal was reached. Both sides accuse the other of violating the agreement but say it is still in effect.
Five Israeli soldiers have been killed since the ceasefire.
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Magdy reported from Cairo.
