DaysofPal – The death toll from Israel’s genocide in the Gaza Strip has risen to 72,135 Palestinians killed and 171,830 wounded since 7 October 2023, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza.
The ministry reported that hospitals across the territory received one body and two injured people during the past 24 hours.
Health officials also said that the number of Palestinians killed since the ceasefire agreement reached in October has climbed to 650, while 1,732 others have been wounded. Rescue teams have recovered 756 bodies from beneath the rubble of buildings destroyed during Israeli attacks. Search operations continue for additional victims believed to remain trapped under debris.
The ceasefire agreement followed two years of war that began on 7 October 2023. The conflict has caused vast destruction across Gaza, damaging or destroying about 90 percent of the enclave’s civilian infrastructure. Reconstruction costs are estimated at around $70 billion, according to the United Nations.
Residents continue to face severe hardship due to the ongoing closure of the Rafah Border Crossing, which has remained shut for ten days after a brief partial reopening for humanitarian cases on 2 February.
The closure has shattered hopes for thousands of patients and students seeking to leave Gaza for medical treatment or to continue their education. Israeli authorities halted movement through the crossing following the outbreak of the war involving the United States and Israel against Iran.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warned that the closure of crossings surrounding Gaza continues to disrupt humanitarian operations. The agency said the shutdown of the Zikim Crossing forces aid groups to reroute supplies intended for northern Gaza through the Kerem Shalom Crossing in the south. This longer route slows deliveries and increases logistical costs.
OCHA reported that a limited number of humanitarian workers were allowed to rotate in and out of Gaza two days ago through the Kerem Shalom crossing. The movement marked the first such access since violence escalated on 28 February. Medical evacuations and the return of Palestinians stranded abroad remain suspended due to the continued closure of the Rafah crossing.
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