GAZA – The Palestinian Ministry of Health reported on Tuesday that the death toll in Gaza has surpassed 60,000 since the outbreak of war following the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks in Israel, which resulted in 1,138 fatalities and the abduction of 252 people.

In addition to the death toll, between 100,000 and 200,000 people have been injured, many with severe, life-altering wounds, including amputations, traumatic brain injuries, and loss of vision or hearing.

The current death toll is comparable to lower estimates of fatalities from the U.S. atomic bombing of Nagasaki, Japan, on August 9, 1945. Historical reports vary, with the 1946 Manhattan Project estimating 39,000 deaths, while later reassessments by Japanese and international researchers place the figure between 60,000 and 80,000 by the end of that year, according to the Radiation Effects Research Foundation.

The Gaza Health Ministry documented 60,034 fatalities in Gaza as of Tuesday, with 81 deaths reported that day—19 of whom were said to be civilians seeking aid. These casualties occurred despite announced military and humanitarian pauses in fighting.

Local sources described Tuesday as one of the deadliest days in recent weeks, with reports of Israeli forces deploying drones, tanks, and remotely operated devices in ongoing operations. The conflict has devastated the enclave, resulting in the deaths of an estimated 2.73 percent of Gaza's 2.2 million population. Some analysts, including contributors to The Lancet, suggest the actual toll may be significantly higher due to unrecorded deaths and destruction of medical infrastructure.

The mounting casualties coincide with an official declaration of famine in parts of Gaza by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC). In a report released Tuesday.

"Latest data indicates that famine thresholds have been reached for food consumption in most of the Gaza Strip and for acute malnutrition in Gaza City," the report said. "Amid relentless conflict, mass displacement, severely restricted humanitarian access, and the collapse of essential services, including healthcare, the crisis has reached an alarming and deadly turning point."

The report added that one in three individuals in Gaza are enduring prolonged periods without food.

Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have repeatedly denied claims of starvation in Gaza, asserting that sufficient aid is available. However, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the humanitarian crisis in a statement Tuesday, calling it "a reality unfolding before our eyes."

"The facts are in—and they are undeniable," Guterres said. "Palestinians in Gaza are enduring a humanitarian catastrophe of epic proportions. The trickle of aid must become an ocean. Food, water, medicine, and fuel must flow in waves and without obstruction."

He reiterated calls for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, the unconditional release of all captives, and full humanitarian access.

(File photo | Gaza 2024).

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