Gaza ministry says 1,005 killed in Israeli operations since ceasefire
The Gaza Health Ministry said Israeli attacks have continued during the truce, while Israel says it is targeting Hamas and allied militants.
By Lucas Ferreira · Science & Environment Writer
2 min read
Israeli military operations in Gaza have killed 1,005 Palestinians since Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire last October, the Gaza Health Ministry said Wednesday. The figure underscores how violence has continued inside the enclave despite the truce.
The Associated Press reported that Gaza has faced frequent Israeli strikes, along with shelling and gunfire near the line separating areas under Israeli and Palestinian control. The latest deaths followed Israeli drone strikes in recent days on towns and refugee camps in central Gaza and in Gaza City, according to the report.
In southern Gaza, an Israeli strike on Wednesday killed two Palestinians and injured six others in Khan Younis, health officials at Nasser Hospital said. The Israeli military confirmed it carried out the strike and said it had targeted a “terrorist,” but did not provide further details, according to AP.
Families at Nasser Hospital told AP the strike hit a group of people near the beach in Muwasi, a large tent camp where hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians are living. Muwasi has become one of the main gathering points for people forced from other parts of the Gaza Strip during the war.
Israel has said its forces continue to act against Hamas and allied armed groups in Gaza. AP reported that Israel has also widened the territory it controls inside the strip since the ceasefire began.
Both Israel and Hamas have accused each other of breaking the ceasefire, according to AP. In a separate statement Wednesday, the Israeli military said it killed two militants from Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad in strikes carried out over the weekend.
The Gaza Health Ministry said Sunday that more than 73,000 people have been killed in Gaza since the start of the Israel-Hamas war. The ministry does not separate civilians from fighters in its count. AP reported that the ministry is staffed by medical professionals, keeps detailed records and is generally regarded by the international community as reliable.
The war began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel, killing 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and taking 251 hostages, according to AP. Israeli leaders responded by vowing a major campaign in Gaza to destroy Hamas and bring back the hostages.
The ceasefire reached last October has not ended Israeli military activity in the territory. The latest figures from Gaza health officials point to a continuing death toll as the sides remain locked in accusations over violations of the agreement.
This story draws on original reporting from NPR.