More than 50,000 killed by Israel’s bombardment of Gaza Strip

The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza says more than 50,000 people have been killed by Israel’s bombardment and invasion of the Gaza Strip.

The Palestinian death toll, which slowed for two months due to a ceasefire, has dramatically increased since Israel restarted its attacks on March 18.

The Ministry says Israeli fire has killed 673 people and injured 1,233 since then.

More than 200 of those killed were children.

The Ministry also says the names of 233 missing persons were added to the toll after their deaths were confirmed by a judicial committee.

The toll counts all those confirmed killed since Israel began a bombardment and invasion in response to the Hamas-led October 7 attacks in southern Israel, in which nearly 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage.

Israel’s government and military have said the death toll is inflated and that the ministry is compromised because it operates under the Hamas-run government of Gaza.

The Ministry also says the names of 233 missing persons were added to the toll after their deaths were confirmed by a judicial committee.

The toll counts all those confirmed killed since Israel began a bombardment and invasion in response to the Hamas-led October 7 attacks in southern Israel, in which nearly 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage.

Israel’s government and military have said the death toll is inflated and that the ministry is compromised because it operates under the Hamas-run government of Gaza.

The military said it has been targeting Hamas leaders with its strikes and tries to reduce civilian casualties.

The Israeli Defence Minister, Israel Katz, said on Friday he had instructed troops to seize more land in Gaza and that Israel would annex it if Hamas refuses to release more hostages.

Two days earlier, on March 19, he warned Gazans that the renewed assault would be worse than the extensive death and damage already suffered in Gaza, if the hostages weren’t released and Hamas was not “eliminated”.

“The alternative is complete destruction and devastation,” Mr Katz said.

(ABC)