Gaza health officials report 16 dead over 48 hours amid continued ceasefire violations

Gaza health officials said hospitals across the enclave received 16 bodies over the past 48 hours, in the latest casualty update from the war. Seven of the dead were said to have been killed in recent Israeli attacks, while nine bodies were recovered from beneath the rubble of destroyed buildings. Officials also said 16 people were injured over the same period.

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The Ministry of Health said more victims remain trapped under rubble, with ambulance crews and civil defence teams unable to reach them. It did not specify the exact circumstances of each death or injury. The figures were released on Saturday and refer to hospitals across the besieged territory.

The latest deaths come despite the ceasefire agreement reached between Israel and Hamas in October under United States mediation. Although large-scale fighting has largely paused, attacks on Palestinians in Gaza have continued, according to the ministry. It said Israeli violations of the truce have killed 1,066 people and wounded 3,445 others since the ceasefire took effect.

The figures underline the continuing humanitarian toll in Gaza even during a nominal truce. They also point to the difficulty of rescue and recovery operations in areas where buildings have been destroyed and access remains restricted. The recovery of bodies from rubble suggests that the full scale of casualties may not yet be known.

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The ministry said the overall death toll from the war in Gaza since October 2023 has reached 73,090, with 173,550 others injured. It also said the Israeli military has continued expanding the area under its control inside Gaza while issuing forced displacement orders during the ceasefire period. In late May, Israel's prime minister said he had instructed the military to expand its control to more than 70 percent of the Gaza Strip.

Negotiations on the next phase of the ceasefire have remained stalled for months, with Hamas disarmament and the scope of an Israeli withdrawal among the main unresolved issues. Under the deal, the parties were expected to move to a second phase after the release of remaining captives covered by the first-stage agreement in exchange for Palestinians held in Israeli prisons. What remains unclear is how many people are still under the rubble, whether rescue teams can reach them, and whether the ceasefire talks will move forward.

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