The Palestinian Health Ministry announced on Saturday that the death toll in the Gaza Strip has risen to 49,747 since the start of the Israeli military offensive in October 2023, following the killing of 130 more Palestinians in the past 48 hours. The ministry confirmed that two bodies were retrieved from the rubble, adding to the overall casualties. An additional 263 people were injured, bringing the total number of wounded to 113,213. "Many victims remain trapped under the rubble and on the roads, as rescuers are unable to reach them," the ministry stated. Since Tuesday, more than 700 Palestinians have been killed and over 1,000 injured in a surprise aerial campaign by Israeli forces, breaking a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement that had been in place since January. On Saturday, at least 11 Palestinians, including six children, were killed in airstrikes targeting northern and central Gaza. Medical officials confirmed that nine people, including the children, died when Israeli forces bombed the Mashharawi family home in the Al-Tuffah neighborhood of eastern Gaza City. Two others were killed in a separate strike on the Al-Maghraqa area in central Gaza. Another airstrike hit western Rafah, in southern Gaza, though casualties from that strike have yet to be confirmed. Earlier in the day, Israeli bombardment targeted residential homes and farmland in Gaza City. The ongoing Israeli offensive has intensified in recent days, leading to rising civilian casualties. In November 2023, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, citing war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for its military actions in the enclave. — Agencies
