Gaza death toll exceeds 56,000 as Israeli assault persists
At least 56,077 Palestinians have been killed and more than 131,800 injured in Israel’s war on Gaza since October 2023 According to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
Driving the news: The Palestinian Health Ministry reported Tuesday that 79 bodies were recovered in the past 24 hours alone, with 289 new injuries. The ministry says thousands more are still trapped beneath rubble and in areas unreachable by emergency crews.
Total injured: 131,848
Israel resumed full-scale military operations on March 18, breaking a ceasefire, killing 5,759 and injuring nearly 20,000 since then.
Zoom out: The war, now in its ninth month, has brought unprecedented devastation to Gaza’s civilian infrastructure, health system, and population.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is currently weighing genocide charges against Israel.
In November, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and then-Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The intrigue: Despite the ICC warrants and the ongoing genocide case at the ICJ, U.S. and European governments remain divided over how far to distance themselves from Israel’s leadership — with some continuing military support and arms sales.
Humanitarian groups warn Gaza is on the brink of a total collapse, with famine looming and clean water, electricity, and medical care virtually nonexistent.