Gaza death toll nears 50,900 as Israel continues deadly onslaught

By Ahmed Asmar

ANKARA (AA) – At least 40 more Palestinians were killed in Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip in the last 24 hours, bringing the death toll from Israel’s genocidal war since October 2023 to 50,886, the Health Ministry said on Thursday.

A ministry statement said that 146 injured people were also transferred to hospitals, taking the number of injuries to 115,875 in the Israeli onslaught.

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

The Israeli army launched a surprise aerial campaign on the Gaza Strip on March 18 and has since killed 1,522 people and injured over 3,800 others despite a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement that took hold in January.

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.