UPDATES DEATH TOLL, ADDS DETAILS, CHANGES HEADLINE
By Ikram Kouachi
ANKARA (AA) – At least 62,686 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s genocidal war on the Gaza Strip since October 2023, as eight more people died of starvation in the enclave, the Health Ministry said on Sunday.
A ministry statement said that 64 bodies were brought to hospitals in the last 24 hours, while 278 people were injured, taking the number of injuries to 157,951 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 ministry also noted that 19 Palestinians were killed and over 123 others injured by Israeli army fire while trying to get humanitarian aid in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of Palestinians killed while seeking aid to 2,095, with over 15,431 others wounded since May 27.
The ministry said that eight more Palestinians, including a child, died of malnutrition and starvation in the last 24 hours. This brought the famine-linked death toll since October 2023 to 289 people, including 115 children.
Since March 2, Israeli authorities have completely closed all Gaza border crossings, pushing the territory’s 2.4 million population into famine.
A UN-backed food security assessment has already confirmed famine in northern Gaza and expects it to spread further south by the end of September.
The Israeli army resumed its attacks on the Gaza Strip on March 18 and has since killed 10,842 people and injured 45,910 others, shattering 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.