Death toll in Gaza surpasses 59,000 as Israeli attacks continue: health authorities

GAZA -- The Palestinian death toll from Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip has surpassed 59,000 since the outbreak of the conflict on Oct 7, 2023, the Gaza-based health authorities said on Monday.

In a press statement, the health authorities said that a total of 59,029 Palestinians have been killed and 142,135 others injured in the ongoing Israeli military operations.

The health authorities added that 8,196 fatalities and 30,094 injuries were recorded since March 18, reflecting a surge in hostilities in recent weeks.

According to the latest update, 134 bodies were transferred to Gaza hospitals in the past 24 hours. Additionally, 1,155 people sustained various injuries due to continued airstrikes and shelling during the period, the authorities said, warning of a potential rise in the figure as many victims were still trapped beneath the rubble.

Both local and international humanitarian organizations have voiced growing alarm over what they described as the "rapid deterioration of the humanitarian situation," and the failure of aid mechanisms to ensure safe and effective delivery.

"There is an urgent need to establish secure humanitarian corridors and guarantee the safety of civilians attempting to access life-saving supplies," said a joint statement from NGOs operating in the Gaza Strip.

Medical sources in Gaza also warned that hospitals and health centers across the enclave are operating under extreme pressure and facing severe shortages of medicines, medical supplies, and fuel, in addition to ongoing power outages, which pose serious risks to thousands of patients, especially those in critical condition and newborns relying on incubators powered by electricity.

The United Nations and several regional organizations have repeatedly called for an immediate ceasefire and the establishment of internationally monitored aid routes, but efforts toward a durable humanitarian solution have yet to yield results.