Khan Younis: Gaza health officials have reported that more than 69,000 Palestinians have been killed in the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, the death toll has reached 69,169, with an additional 170,685 people injured since Hamas launched its attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
The recent surge in fatalities is linked to the recovery of bodies from the rubble following the ceasefire, as well as the identification of previously unaccounted-for victims.
The announcement follows Israel’s return of 15 Palestinian bodies to Gaza on Saturday, a day after militants handed over the remains of an Israeli hostage as part of a US-brokered truce. Under the terms of the agreement, Israel is to return the bodies of 15 Palestinians for each Israeli hostage. The Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis confirmed receipt of the returned remains.
Israel also verified that the body returned on Friday night belonged to an Israeli soldier, Lior Rudaeff, who died defending against Hamas during the October 7, 2023 attack that triggered the war, according to a statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office.
The exchanges mark incremental progress in the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, two years into the ongoing conflict.
With PTI inputs