The death toll in Gaza has risen above 68,000, the territory’s Health Ministry reported Saturday, as recovery teams continue to find bodies under rubble even after the fragile ceasefire came into effect over a week ago.
In a separate development, Israel identified the remains of another hostage handed over by Hamas as Eliyahu Margalit. The 76-year-old, who was abducted on October 7, 2023, during Hamas’ attack on Israel from the horse stables where he worked in Kibbutz Nir Oz, is the 10th returned hostage since the ceasefire began. Israel’s Prime Minister’s Office confirmed the identification through the National Center for Forensic Medicine and notified his family.
Hamas is still searching for additional bodies under Gaza’s rubble and has called for an increased flow of humanitarian aid into the territory. The militant group said the ongoing retrieval efforts are hindered by extensive destruction and the presence of unexploded ordnance, with some remains located in areas controlled by Israeli forces. Margalit’s body was recovered after bulldozers excavated pits in Khan Younis.
Under the ceasefire agreement, Israel also returned 15 Palestinian bodies on Saturday, bringing the total number handed over since the truce to 135, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
Despite the truce, Hamas accused Israel of continuing attacks. The Civil Defense agency, operating under Gaza’s Interior Ministry, reported that Israeli fire killed nine people, including women and children, on Friday when their vehicle crossed into Israeli-controlled territory in eastern Gaza. The Israeli army said it fired warning shots at a “suspicious vehicle” approaching its troops, claiming the action complied with ceasefire rules.
Aid delivery to Gaza remains constrained. United Nations data show that 339 aid trucks have been offloaded since the ceasefire began, well below the 600 trucks per day agreed under the truce. Israeli authorities overseeing aid reported 950 trucks on Thursday and 716 on Wednesday, including commercial and bilateral deliveries.
Gaza’s population of over two million is enduring severe humanitarian hardship. Famine has been declared in Gaza City, and the UN has verified more than 400 deaths from malnutrition, including over 100 children. Israel asserts it has allowed sufficient food into Gaza, while the UN and aid agencies dispute claims that Hamas is diverting supplies.
The Health Ministry’s figures, widely regarded as reliable by UN agencies and independent experts, report nearly 68,000 Palestinian deaths since the outbreak of the war. Thousands more remain missing, according to the Red Cross.
Source: AP