According to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, more than 70,000 Palestinians have died during Israel’s military operation in the territory. Since the ceasefire that began on 10 October, the toll has continued to climb. Israel has conducted air strikes it claims were in response to violations of the truce, while additional bodies have been pulled from collapsed buildings.

Media reports say that among the latest casualties were two brothers, Fadi and Juma Abu Assi, who were killed on Saturday. Their family stated the boys had been out collecting firewood when an Israeli drone fired on them. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) told reporters that the strike targeted “two suspects” who had gone beyond the “yellow line”, a boundary to which Israeli forces had agreed to withdraw under a US-brokered ceasefire more than seven weeks prior.

The children were described as about eight years old and 10 or 11 years old. Relatives say the boys were gathering wood east of Khan Younis in southern Gaza when the attack occurred. Their funeral took place at Nasser Hospital on Saturday.

Throughout the conflict, figures released by the Gaza Ministry of Health (MoH) have been widely cited by international bodies, including the United Nations (UN), which generally considers them credible. Israel, however, has repeatedly contested these statistics. Independent verification is not possible, as Israel bars foreign journalists from entering Gaza on their own.

The health ministry now reports a total of 70,100 Palestinian deaths, with more than 350 fatalities recorded since the 10 October ceasefire.

Israel’s current military offensive began after the Hamas-led assault on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, during which approximately 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage.