Gaza Death Toll Surpasses 60,000 Amid Escalating Hunger Crisis/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Gaza’s Health Ministry reports over 60,000 Palestinian deaths and nearly 146,000 injured since the war began in October 2023. With famine warnings and ongoing Israeli strikes, the humanitarian disaster has reached a critical level. Aid convoys remain under threat, and the health system continues to collapse under war pressure.
Gaza War Death Toll Quick Looks
- Over 60,000 Palestinians have died since Oct. 2023, Gaza Health Ministry reports
- Nearly 146,000 people injured in 21-month-long conflict
- At least 70 Palestinians killed in past 24 hours, mostly near aid sites
- Airstrikes hit tents for displaced families, killing 30 civilians, including 12 children
- Food crisis labeled ‘worst-case famine scenario’ by global experts
- WHO reports 60+ malnutrition-related deaths this month alone
- Israeli blockade and strikes severely cripple Gaza’s health infrastructure
- International calls for ceasefire grow, but negotiations remain stalled
- Israel denies starvation tactics, says Hamas is to blame for civilian deaths
- GHF aid convoys targeted by violence, adding to chaos in distribution
- UN agencies unable to deliver aid at required levels
- Hamas still holds 50 hostages, per Israeli intelligence
Deep Look: Gaza War Death Toll Surpasses 60,000 Amid Hunger Crisis and Renewed Strikes
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — The death toll in Gaza has now crossed a devastating threshold. According to the Gaza Health Ministry, more than 60,000 Palestinians have died in the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, with nearly 146,000 wounded since the fighting began in October 2023. The war, now in its 21st month, has decimated civilian life, displaced 90% of the population, and brought Gaza to the brink of full-scale famine.
Escalating Casualties, Airstrikes, and Aid Chaos
On Tuesday, local hospitals reported at least 70 new deaths from Israeli strikes in a single day — more than half of which occurred as desperate Palestinians attempted to access food aid. One deadly incident saw 58 people killed near an aid convoy in southern Gaza. A separate attack near a U.S.- and Israeli-backed aid site in central Gaza claimed seven more lives, according to health officials.
In Gaza’s central city of Nuseirat, an Israeli airstrike on tents housing displaced civilians killed 30 people, including 12 children and 14 women, according to Al-Awda Hospital.
Famine Crisis: “Alarming and Deadly Turning Point”
As bombings continue, so too does the hunger crisis. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) warns that Gaza has entered the “worst-case scenario of famine.” Their latest alert — based on July data — says nearly 17% of children under five in Gaza City are acutely malnourished, and more than one in three Gazans now go without food for days.
The World Health Organization (WHO) confirms over 60 deaths from malnutrition this month alone, including 24 children under five. Since the war began, 88 children have died from hunger-related causes.
The crisis is worsened by collapsed infrastructure, failed aid delivery systems, and a breakdown of law and order. Despite recent Israeli efforts to ease the blockade and allow humanitarian corridors, UN agencies say the aid remains inadequate, and chaotic conditions make delivery dangerous and unreliable.
Israel Responds: Denial of Starvation Allegations
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar dismissed accusations that Israel is using hunger as a weapon of war, calling the allegations a “distorted campaign of international pressure.” Saar argued that such rhetoric undermines ceasefire talks and emboldens Hamas.
Israel’s military maintains it targets only militants and blames civilian deaths on Hamas embedding itself within populated areas. On Monday, the military confirmed strikes on what it called Hamas infrastructure, including tunnels and weapons storage.
Still, images of emaciated children and bombed shelters have fueled a global backlash.
President Donald Trump, speaking from Scotland, described the situation in Gaza as “real starvation stuff,” adding, “Those children look very hungry.”
Ceasefire Negotiations Stalled
Despite growing international condemnation, peace talks have stalled. Both Israel and the U.S. have recalled their negotiation teams, and no new ceasefire proposals appear imminent.
Hamas continues to hold 50 hostages, of which about 20 are believed to be alive. The initial Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack killed 1,200 Israelis, mostly civilians, and triggered Israel’s retaliatory war campaign.
In March, Israel escalated its military pressure, imposing a full blockade for two and a half months — cutting off food, fuel, and medicine. The move was designed to coerce hostage releases but led to even deeper humanitarian suffering. Since then, over 8,800 more Palestinians have been killed in combat operations.
Health System Collapse, Civilian Buildings Under Fire
Gaza’s already fragile healthcare system has collapsed, with hospitals overwhelmed or shut down completely. Israeli airstrikes have hit hospitals, schools, and UN shelters, killing both militants and civilians. In most cases, Israel claims militants were using these locations as cover, though errors have been acknowledged in select strikes.
International aid groups have warned that the crisis is spiraling out of control. The Israeli-approved Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) has faced violence at its aid convoys, while Doctors Without Borders and the World Food Programme say conditions have made it nearly impossible to meet needs on the ground.
Outlook: “Act Now or See Widespread Death”
The IPC and UN agencies have made it clear: without a significant increase in humanitarian access, Gaza faces widespread death not only from bombs but also from hunger, disease, and exposure.
The situation remains volatile, with international leaders urging restraint, and global protests demanding ceasefire and aid. Yet, the people of Gaza remain trapped — under fire, underfed, and underserved — as the war grinds on.
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