The Palestinian death toll in Gaza has exceeded 70,000 since the Israel-Hamas war began, Gaza’s Health Ministry said Saturday, as sporadic Israeli strikes and ongoing recoveries of bodies from rubble continue to add to the count despite a ceasefire in effect since Oct. 10.
Hospital officials in southern Gaza reported that two brothers, ages 8 and 11, were killed when an Israeli drone strike hit near a school sheltering displaced families in Beni Suhaila. The Israeli military said it had targeted individuals who crossed into an Israeli-controlled zone and behaved «suspiciously,» but did not mention children in its statement.
At least 352 Palestinians have been killed across the territory since the ceasefire took hold, according to the ministry, which says it cannot distinguish between civilians and combatants. Israel says its strikes target militants violating the truce, while Hamas accuses Israel of ongoing breaches.
The conflict began after the Hamas-led assault on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, which killed around 1,200 people and saw more than 250 hostages taken. Most captives or their remains have since been returned, though two bodies, an Israeli and a Thai national, are still awaiting repatriation. Families of hostages rallied again in Tel Aviv on Saturday.
The war’s regional footprint continues to widen. Syrian officials said 13 people were killed Friday when Israeli forces raided a Syrian village, while Israel reported its troops were fired upon by militants. Israel has also intensified strikes in Lebanon, saying Hezbollah is attempting to rearm. The group criticized continued Israeli attacks during a visit to the region by Pope Leo XIV.
In the occupied West Bank, Palestinian officials accused Israeli soldiers of executing two men after footage appeared to show troops shooting them after surrendering. The Israeli military says it is investigating. Separately, the Palestinian Red Crescent reported 10 Palestinians injured in settler violence near Bethlehem.
Amid the instability, U.S. efforts to shape Gaza’s postwar future remain at an early stage. A draft plan under discussion envisions an international stabilisation force, a transitional authority overseen by President Donald Trump, and a potential long-term path toward a Palestinian state.
Kursiv Uzbekistan also reports that a court in Bangladesh sentenced British MP and former minister Tulip Siddiq to two years in jail in absentia on Monday over alleged corruption linked to the unlawful allocation of a plot of land, prosecutors said.
