Gaza death toll surpasses 40,900 as Israel kills 61 more Palestinians

By Ikram Kouachi

The Israeli army has killed 61 more Palestinians in attacks on the Gaza Strip, raising the overall death toll to 40,939 since October 7, 2023, according to the Health Ministry in the enclave on Saturday.

The ministry also reported that approximately 94,616 people have been injured in the ongoing assault.

“Israeli forces killed 61 people and injured 162 others in four ‘massacres’ against families in the last 48 hours,” the statement said.

“Many people are still trapped under rubble and on the roads as rescuers are unable to reach them,” it added.

Israel has continued its brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip following an attack by the Palestinian group Hamas last Oct. 7, despite a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire.

An ongoing blockade of Gaza has led to severe shortages of food, clean water and medicine, leaving much of the region in ruins.

Israel faces accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which has ordered a halt to military operations in the southern city of Rafah, where over one million Palestinians had sought refuge before the area was invaded on May 6.