Gaza health officials say over 69,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Israel-Hamas war so far

Palestinian Death Toll Surpasses 69,000 as Gaza War Body Exchanges Continue Under Ceasefire

Palestinian health officials announced Saturday that the death toll in the Gaza Strip has climbed to 69,169 since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas war, with an additional 170,685 people wounded in the 14-month conflict.

Gaza’s Health Ministry attributed the recent increase in reported casualties to recovery efforts that have intensified since the implementation of the ceasefire. Workers have been retrieving more bodies from under rubble across the devastated territory, while medical officials have also completed identification processes for previously unidentified remains.

The grim milestone comes as both sides continue limited exchanges under the terms of the fragile U.S.-brokered truce agreement. On Saturday, Israel returned the bodies of 15 Palestinians to Gaza through the Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, a day after Hamas militants returned the remains of an Israeli hostage.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office confirmed the returned Israeli remains belonged to Lior Rudaeff, who died during the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on southern Israel that triggered the current conflict. Under the ceasefire agreement’s terms, Israel has committed to returning 15 Palestinian bodies for each Israeli hostage or set of remains returned.

The body exchanges represent incremental progress in implementing the ceasefire deal, which has brought a tentative pause to fighting after more than a year of devastating warfare. The truce, brokered by the United States after months of diplomatic efforts, remains precarious as both sides accuse each other of violations and disagreements persist over next steps.

The October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israeli communities near the Gaza border killed approximately 1,200 people, according to Israeli authorities, while militants took around 250 hostages. Israel’s subsequent military campaign in Gaza has resulted in unprecedented destruction across the densely populated coastal enclave of 2.3 million people.

Humanitarian organizations have repeatedly warned about catastrophic conditions in Gaza, where the conflict has destroyed critical infrastructure including hospitals, schools, and housing. The United Nations estimates that over 90% of Gaza’s population has been displaced at least once during the conflict, with many families forced to flee multiple times as fighting shifted across the territory.

The war has devastated Gaza’s healthcare system, with many hospitals forced to shut down or operate at minimal capacity due to damage, lack of supplies, and fuel shortages. This collapse of medical services has compounded the crisis, leaving thousands of wounded Palestinians without adequate care and complicating efforts to accurately document casualties.

International aid organizations have struggled to deliver sufficient humanitarian assistance despite the ceasefire, citing logistical challenges and continuing restrictions on access to many areas. Food insecurity remains at crisis levels throughout Gaza, with the World Food Programme warning of famine-like conditions in parts of the territory.

Regional tensions remain high as diplomatic efforts continue to transform the temporary truce into a more permanent cessation of hostilities. U.S. officials have emphasized the importance of maintaining the ceasefire while working toward longer-term solutions, though significant obstacles remain to achieving a comprehensive peace agreement.

The ongoing exchanges of remains highlight both the human toll of the conflict and the complex process of accounting for the dead and missing on both sides. For many Palestinian and Israeli families, the exchanges represent a painful step in their search for closure amid continuing uncertainty about the fate of loved ones.