Gaza updates death toll; 1,000s of dead believed to be under rubble

Gaza: The Gaza administration updated the Palestinian death toll in the 15-month-long war between Hamas-Israel to 61,709 after adding thousands who are missing and presumed dead, Al Jazeera reported.

The Gaza Government Information Office told the media that the bodies of 76 per cent of the Palestinians killed in the war have been recovered and brought to medical centres. But around 14,222 people are believed to be trapped under the rubble or in areas where rescuers are unable to reach.

Among the reported dead were 17,881 children, including 214 newborn infants. A total of 1,11,588 people have also been injured in the war.

The information department said that more than 2 million people have been forcibly displaced, some more than 25 times, under dire conditions and lacking basic services.

The updated death toll comes after a fragile ceasefire was met between Hamas and Israel last month. The war started on October 7th 2023, after Hamas carried out a lightning attack on Israeli territory, killing 1,200 people and taking around 20 hostages.

Now, the ceasefire has allowed Palestinian rescuers to enter the war-torn land and reach parts of it that they were unable to reach before. Al Jazeera reported that humanitarian and medical teams have shifted from rescue and recovery there.

According to the department, the heavy death toll also includes health, humanitarian aid and media workers. It said that their count is at least 1,155 medical personnel, 205 journalists, and 194 civil defence workers.