Palestinian death toll reaches 30,800 as Israel continues its offensive in Gaza

By Anadolu staff

GAZA CITY, Palestine (AA) – The Palestinian death toll from Israel's ongoing military offensive on the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7, 2023 has climbed to 30,800, the Health Ministry in the enclave said on Thursday.

A ministry statement added that at least 72,298 people have also been injured in the onslaught.

“At least 83 people were killed and 142 others injured in Israeli attacks in the last 24 hours,” the ministry said.

''Many victims are still trapped under rubble and on the roads and rescuers cannot reach them,'' it noted.

Israel has pounded the Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack by Palestinian group Hamas last October, which Tel Aviv said killed nearly 1,200 people.

About 85% of Gazans have been displaced by the Israeli onslaught amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which in an interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio in Istanbul