Gaza death toll from Israeli war passes 48,500 as more bodies found in rubble

By Ahmed Asmar

ANKARA (AA) - Gaza’s death toll from Israel’s destructive war since October 2023 has reached 48,503, the Health Ministry said on Tuesday.

A ministry statement said the toll included the bodies of 32 Palestinians recovered from the rubble and four people killed by Israeli army fire in the last 24 hours.

The ministry said 14 more injured Palestinians were transferred to hospitals, taking the number of injuries to 111,927 in the Israeli onslaught.

“Many victims are still trapped under the rubble and on the roads as rescuers are unable to reach them,” the ministry said.

A ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement has been in place in Gaza since Jan. 19, halting the Israeli war that has caused widespread destruction and left the Palestinian enclave in ruins.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.