Palestinian death toll in Israeli attacks on Gaza nears 26,000

By Ahmed Asmar

ANKARA (AA) – The Palestinian death toll from Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7 has climbed to 25,900, the Health Ministry in the blockaded enclave said on Thursday.

The ministry in a statement said 64,110 others have also been injured.

Israeli forces committed 24 massacres across the Gaza Strip in the last 21 hours, killing at least 200 people and wounding 370 others, the ministry said, adding: “Many people are still trapped under rubble and on the roads and rescuers can’t reach them."

The ministry also accused Israel committing of "genocidal crimes in the UNRWA-run shelters and in al-Mawasi area" (city of Khan Younis), which it claims to be safe.

Israel has struck the Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack by Palestinian group Hamas in October, in which nearly 1,200 Israelis are believed to have been killed.

About 85% of Gazans have since been displaced due to the onslaught, while all of them are food insecure, according to the UN. Hundreds of thousands of people are living without shelter, and ⁠less than half of aid trucks are entering the territory than before the start of the conflict.

The International Court of Justice will announce its highly anticipated verdict on South Africa’s request for an interim ruling in its genocide case against Israel on Friday.