Gaza, Jan 16 (UNI) The death toll from Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023, when the Israel-Hamas conflict escalated, has reached 24,285 while the number of injured is 61,154, Gaza Health Ministry spokesman Ashraf Al-Qudra said on Tuesday.
“Since October 7, the death toll from Israeli aggression has grew to 24,285 and 61,154 others have been injured,” the official wrote on Telegram.
On October 7, 2023, Palestinian movement Hamas launched a large-scale rocket attack against Israel from the Gaza Strip while its fighters breached the border, attacking both civilian neighborhoods and military bases. As a result, over 1,200 people in Israel were killed and some 240 others abducted. Israel launched retaliatory strikes, ordered a complete blockade of Gaza and launched a ground incursion into the Palestinian enclave with the declared goal of eliminating Hamas fighters and rescuing the hostages.
On November 24, Qatar mediated a deal between Israel and Hamas on a temporary truce and the exchange of some of the prisoners and hostages, as well as the delivery of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip. The ceasefire was extended several times and expired on December 1. Over 100 hostages are still believed to be held by Hamas in Gaza.