Gaza Health Ministry says over 29,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel-Hamas war

RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP): More than 29,000 Palestinians have been killed in the territory since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, Gaza’s Health Ministry said Monday.

The ministry said 107 bodies were brought to hospitals in the last 24 hours. That brings the total number of fatalities to 29,092 since the start of the war.

The ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its records, but says around two-thirds of those killed were women and children. It says over 69,000 Palestinians have been wounded.

The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government in Gaza but maintains detailed records of casualties. It’s figures from previous wars in Gaza have largely matched those of U.N. agencies and even Israel.

The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel from Gaza on Oct. 7, killing some 1,200 people and taking around 250 hostage. More than 100 captives were released during a weeklong cease-fire in November in exchange for 240 Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.

Israel responded by launching one of the deadliest and most destructive military campaigns in recent history on the besieged enclave, which has been ruled by Hamas since 2007.

Israel says it has killed over 10,000 Palestinian militants, without providing evidence. The military says it tries to avoid harming civilians and blames the high death toll on Hamas because the militant group fights in dense residential neighborhoods.

The war, which shows no sign of ending, has driven around 80% of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million from their homes and has left a quarter of the population starving, according to U.N. officials.