19.34°C Vancouver

Nov 21, 2024 2:06 PM - The Canadian Press

Death toll in Gaza from Israel-Hamas war passes 44,000, Palestinian officials say

Share On
death-toll-in-gaza-from-israel-hamas-war-passes-44-000-palestinian-officials-say
The Israeli military says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence.(Photo: The Canadian Press)

The death toll in the Gaza Strip fromthe 13-month-old warbetween Israel and Hamas has surpassed 44,000, local health officials said Thursday.

The Gaza Health Ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its count, but it has said that more than half of the fatalities are women and children. The Israeli military says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence.

The Health Ministry said 44,056 people have been killed and 104,268 wounded since the start of the war. It has said the real toll is higher because thousands of bodies are buried under rubble or in areas that medics cannot access.

The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians,and abducting another 250. Around 100 hostages are still inside Gaza, at least a third of whom are believed to be dead. Most of the rest were released during a cease-fire last year.

The Israeli offensivehas caused heavy destructionacross wide areas of the coastal territory, leading many to wonderwhen or how it will ever be rebuilt.Around 90% of the population of 2.3 million people have been displaced, often multiple times, and hundreds of thousands are living in squalid tent camps with little food, water or basic services.

Israel says it tries to avoid harming civilians and blames their deaths on Hamas because the militants operate in residential areas, where they have built tunnels, rocket launchers and other military infrastructure.

Palestinian officials and rights groups accuse Israeli forces ofwar crimes and crimes against humanity, and the United Nations’ top court isconsidering allegations of genocide brought by South Africa. The Israeli government adamantly denies the allegations, accusing critics of being biased against it.

In recent weeks, the amount of humanitarian aid entering Gaza has plummeted, prompting the United States to threaten to reduce its military support for Israelbefore backing down, citing limited progress. Experts have warned that isolated, war-ravaged northern Gazacould already be experiencing famine.

The United States, Egypt and Qatar spent months trying to broker a cease-fire agreement in which Hamas would release the remaining hostages in exchange for an end to the war. Those talksground to a halt over the summer, with Israel and Hamas each accusing the other of making unacceptable demands.

U.S. President-elect Donald Trumphas vowed to end the wars in the Middle Eastwithout saying how. His previous administration gave unprecedented support to Israel and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s hard-line policies toward the Palestinians.

Latest news

carney-says-his-ministers-are-looking-for-ways-to-cut-spending-at-cabinet-retreat
CanadaSep 04, 2025

Carney says his ministers are looking for ways to cut spending at cabinet retreat

Prime Minister Mark Carney and his cabinet will meet behind closed doors for a second day in a row today, as the Liberal government prepares for Parliament's return in a little under two weeks. Cabinet is discussing efforts to spur industrial investment, refocus Ottawa's spending priorities for the coming fall budget and counter U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs. The federal government is expected in October to table Carney's first budget since taking office. Carney billed the budget on Wednesday as both an austerity plan and one that will ramp up investments to bolster the economy. Conser
BCSep 03, 2025

Phone services, including the 911 landline, down in northern Vancouver Island

Residents in parts of northern Vancouver Island are without landline and cellphone service due to what telecom provider Telus says was damage to infrastructure caused by vandalism. The company's service status map shows both Port McNeill and Port Hardy without home phone, mobile, internet and 911 landline service due to what it says is "damage inflicted upon Telus infrastructure." Other communities on Vancouver Island, including Alert Bay, Campbell River and Port Alice, have also been affected. Emergency Info B.C. says on social media that residents should still try to call 911 if they have an
train-cars-leave-the-tracks-in-b-c-s-kootenay-region-near-albertas-boundary
BCSep 03, 2025

Train cars leave the tracks in B.C.'s Kootenay region near Alberta's boundary

Federal investigators are looking into a train derailment in British Columbia's Kootenay region near the Alberta boundary. The Transportation Safety Board says in a statement that a team is being deployed to the site near Elko, B.C., where investigators will gather information and begin to assess what caused the derailment. A spokesman with rail operator Canadian Pacific Kansas City has confirmed the derailment at about 8 p.m. Tuesday, where multiple cars left the tracks. CPKC says the 12 cars involved were empty and no one was injured as a result of the derailment. It says its crews responded
poilievre-calls-on-liberals-to-scrap-the-temporary-foreign-worker-program
CanadaSep 03, 2025

Poilievre calls on Liberals to scrap the temporary foreign worker program

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is calling on the Liberals to scrap the temporary foreign worker program and to stop issuing visas under the program. Poilievre argues a jobs crisis among young people has been caused in part by corporations hiring foreigners who work for less than Canadian citizens. He is calling out specific fast-food chains he claims are hiring foreigners over locals, including through job postings that call specifically for temporary foreign workers. Poilievre accuses the government of creating conditions that frustrate the efforts of young people to start their working
putin-meets-north-koreas-kim-in-beijing
WorldSep 03, 2025

Putin meets North Korea's Kim in Beijing

Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un have met to begin bilateral talks in Beijing. The two leaders met formally at the Diaoyutai state guest house after attending a major military parade in the heart of the Chinese capital marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. Putin and Kim traveled from a formal reception to the negotiations in the same car, the Kremlin said in a post on social media.

Related News