On Tuesday, Palestinians in Gaza continued digging bodies out of the rubble of buildings destroyed by Israel as the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas entered its third day.
Gaza’s Health Ministry said that hospitals received a total of 72 bodies over the previous 24-hour period, including 68 that were dug out of the rubble and one person who died of previously sustained injuries.
Al Jazeera reported that three Palestinians, including a small child, were killed by Israeli snipers on Monday despite the ceasefire. On Tuesday, the Palestinian news agency WAFA reported that another Palestinian was killed by Israeli gunfire near the southern city of Rafah.
The Health Ministry said that the bodies had brought its death toll since October 7, 2023, to 47,107 and the number of wounded to 111,147. Gaza’s Civil Defense has estimated that 10,000 bodies could be under the rubble, and at least 2,840 were melted, leaving no trace behind.
The Health Ministry’s death toll is based on bodies that have been brought to hospitals, meaning the number will continue to rise as more are discovered.
A study recently published by The Lancet found the Health Ministry’s death toll was a significant undercount, likely by 41%, and the true number of Palestinians killed by the Israeli military is likely over 70,000. The estimate only accounts for people killed by military action, not indirect deaths caused by the US-backed Israeli siege.
