Palestinian Death Toll In Gaza Reaches 50 Thousand People During Israeli Attack Killed Hamas Officials

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Health in Gaza on Sunday confirmed the death toll of Palestinians in the enclave broke 50,000, when an Israeli attack killed officials of the Hamas militant group.

The ministry reported 41 more deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the death toll to 50,021, while the injured reached 113,274, quoted from WAFA March 23.

Israeli airstrikes in Khan Younis, southern Gaza killed a political leader Hamas, Salah al-Bardawiel and his wife, on Sunday, the militant group said.

Bardaweel is a member of the Hamas decision-making body, a political office, and held positions such as leading the Hamas delegation to indirect ceasefire negotiations with Israel in 2009 and chairing the group's media office in 2005.

"His blood, the blood of his wife and martyrs, will continue to ignite the fighting for liberation and independence," Hamas said.

Authorities in Gaza did not differentiate between civilians and Hamas fighters when reporting the death toll, but the health ministry and the United Nations said the majority of deaths were women and children as quoted by CNN, with the actual number of victims could be much higher, as thousands of people believed to be still under the rubble.

The death toll surged as Israel continued attacks on the Gaza Strip on Tuesday last week after the ceasefire nearly two months ended, making one of the deadliest days when more than 400 people died, making one of the deadliest days since the war broke out in 2023.

On Wednesday, Israel announced the resume of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) ground operation in the enclave.

Hamas called the latest attack a "new and dangerous violation" of the ceasefire agreement.

The militant group said it was committed to a ceasefire agreement it signed with Israel in January, but on Thursday fired its first rocket at Israel since the ceasefire collapsed.

Israel is known to have blockaded, launched airstrikes and ground operations in the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023, following an attack by the Palestinian militant group led by Hamas on October 7, 2023, which killed 1,200 people and 251 others were held hostage, according to Israeli calculations.

Israeli Defense Minister Katz last week warned Hamas that Israel would maintain a permanent presence in parts of Gaza unless the hostages in Gaza were released.

Defense Minister Katz said on Friday he had instructed the Israeli military "to seize additional territory in Gaza, while evacuating residents, expanding the security zone around Gaza to protect Israeli society and IDF soldiers through the permanent maintenance of the region by Israel."

It is known that nearly the entire population of Gaza, which amounted to more than 2 million people, has fled their homes.

Negotiations to extend the ceasefire have been deadlocked since the day the ceasefire came into effect on January 19.

Hamas insists on sticking to the frame a

awal signed with Israel in January, which will see the parties move to a second phase on March 1.

Under the provisions of the second phase, Israel must withdraw completely from Gaza and commit to ending the war permanently. Instead, Hamas will release all the surviving hostages.

But, the second phase never happened, and Israel continued the war, citing allegations of Hamas' rejection of "two concrete mediation proposals submitted by the US" and "ancamannya to injure IDF soldiers and Israeli society" as justification for his attacks on Gaza.