GAZA — The death toll in Gaza soared again as Israeli forces killed at least 113 Palestinians and wounded 637 others in just 24 hours, the besieged enclave’s Health Ministry reported Monday. The relentless escalation brings the total number of Palestinians killed since October 7, 2023, to over 60,034, with at least 145,870 wounded, in what rights organizations now widely refer to as an act of genocide.
For Palestinians who have survived months of siege, the latest spike in casualties offers no reprieve, only bitter confirmation that the so-called “humanitarian windows” are nothing more than a propaganda sleight of hand. Among the dead are dozens who were simply trying to access food and aid, as Israel continued its systematic targeting of aid seekers. According to health officials, at least 22 Palestinians were killed and 199 wounded in such incidents in the last day alone.
Since late May, 1,179 Palestinians have died and 7,957 have been injured while attempting to receive humanitarian aid. In most cases, they were gunned down in open spaces or shelled while waiting in breadlines. This pattern of violence has continued unabated, raising further allegations of deliberate targeting of civilians and the use of starvation as a weapon of war.
Rescue operations remain nearly impossible across several parts of northern Gaza and Khan Younis. “Many people remain buried under rubble,” the Ministry said in a statement, emphasizing that rescue crews have been “completely paralyzed” due to continuous aerial bombardment and blockades on fuel, power, and machinery. Civilians are reportedly using their bare hands to recover the bodies of loved ones from collapsed homes.
The scale and pace of killings have pushed several humanitarian organizations and international observers to label Israel’s campaign as a genocidal military operation, not a security or counter-terror campaign. Palestinian neighborhoods, hospitals, schools, and even designated UN shelters have not been spared.
Notably, the Israeli government insists that it observes international law and only targets Hamas infrastructure. Yet independent investigations by media and human rights watchdogs contradict Israel’s narrative. According to the UN and multiple NGOs, 70 to 80 percent of the casualties are civilians, many of them women and children.
The world’s silence has come under growing scrutiny. “How many more children must die before someone acts?” a health worker in Rafah asked, speaking to Al-Mayadeen via satellite phone. “They’re not numbers. They’re babies, mothers, teachers. We count their names before we bury them.”
According to international observers, the scale of devastation now far exceeds previous Israeli military operations in Gaza, including the wars of 2008, 2012, and 2014. This latest campaign has been marked not only by indiscriminate aerial strikes but also by deliberate obstruction of aid, medical evacuations, and food convoys, all of which constitute potential war crimes under international law.
The Israeli government has yet to comment on the new casualty numbers. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, under increasing international pressure and facing domestic protests, has instead escalated military rhetoric, vowing to “finish the job.” Meanwhile, international diplomatic efforts remain stalled, and no ceasefire appears imminent.
In an atmosphere where every civilian is a target and every aid truck a battleground, the survival of Gaza’s population now hangs by a thread. The humanitarian catastrophe is no longer looming — it is unfolding in real time, as the world watches.
According to Mehr News Agency, Gaza’s Health Ministry released the updated figures on Monday, highlighting the grim surge in deaths and pointing to the deliberate targeting of civilians seeking humanitarian aid. The report further noted that countless victims remain under rubble, particularly in areas inaccessible to rescuers due to continued Israeli bombardment. These figures are corroborated by international monitors and press reports, further underscoring the growing urgency for accountability and intervention.
