JERUSALEM (AP) – The Palestinian death toll from the nearly three-year Israel-Hamas war has surpassed 74,000, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
Gaza’s Health Ministry on Saturday said the Palestinian death toll has risen to 74,016, with 175,068 wounded. The war erupted on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants invaded Israel, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 251 others hostage.
While a ceasefire that took effect last Oct. 10 has halted the heaviest fighting, Israeli strikes have continued in what the military has said are responses to threats or attacks.
Since the ceasefire, 1,145 Palestinians have been killed, said the ministry, which is part of the Hamas-led government. It maintains detailed records viewed as generally reliable by UN agencies and international organizations. It does not distinguish between civilians and militants.
Meanwhile, seven Israeli soldiers have been killed since the ceasefire.
The latest Israeli strike in Gaza, in the Muwasi area of Khan Younis, killed one person and wounded three others, Palestinian health officials said.
Next steps in the US-brokered ceasefire remain largely stalled. Israeli forces now control over half of the Palestinian territory, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says they will not withdraw until Hamas disarms.