Israeli army kills 62 more Palestinians, bringing Gaza death toll to 42,500

By Anadolu staff

GAZA CITY, Palestine (AA) - At least 62 more Palestinians were killed and 300 others injured in Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip over the past 24 hours, bringing the overall death toll since last year to 42,500, the Health Ministry in the Palestinian enclave said on Friday.

A ministry statement added a total of 99,546 others have been injured in the ongoing assault.

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

Flouting a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire, Israel has continued its brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip since an attack by the Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023.

The Israeli onslaught has displaced almost the entire population of the territory amid an ongoing blockade that has led to severe shortages of food, clean water, and medicine.

Mediation efforts led by the US, Egypt, and Qatar to reach a Gaza cease-fire and prisoner swap agreement between Israel and Hamas have failed over Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s refusal to halt the war.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its actions in Gaza.