Palestinian officials said the war in Gaza has killed more than 52,000 people, as Israel continues its renewed offensive on the territory after ending its ceasefire with Hamas in March.
The overall toll of 52,243 includes nearly 700 bodies for which the documentation process was recently completed, the Hamas-run health ministry said in its latest update. It comes after the hospitals in the Gaza Strip received the remains of 51 Palestinians over the past 24 hours, who were killed in Israeli strikes.
Palestinians and civil defense teams conduct search and rescue operations in the damaged areas following the Israeli army’s attack on settlements west of the city of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on April 27, 2025. Abed Rahim Khatib/Anadolu via Getty Images
Israel ended its ceasefire with Hamas, a designated terrorist group by the U.S. and Israel, by launching a surprise bombardment on the territory on March 18 and has since been carrying out daily waves of strikes. Ground forces have expanded a buffer zone and encircled the southern city of Rafah, and now control around 50% of the territory.
Israel has also sealed off the territory’s 2 million Palestinians from all imports, including food and medicine, for nearly 60 days. Aid groups say supplies will soon run out and that thousands of children are malnourished.
Palestinians are now mainly living off canned vegetables, rice, pasta and lentils. Meat, milk, cheese and fruit have disappeared. Bread and eggs are scarce. The few vegetables or other items in the market have skyrocketed in price, unaffordable for most.
The Al-Najjar family eats peas with rice in their family tent in Muwasi, on the outskirts of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, Friday, April, 25, 2025. Abdel Kareem Hana / AP
Death toll in Gaza rises to 52,000, territory’s health ministry says, as Israel continues offensive
