Gaza death toll climbs as Cease-Fire efforts stall

The Gaza Health Ministry reported Saturday that Israeli strikes have claimed additional Palestinian lives, escalating the death toll in the months-long conflict that has devastated the coastal enclave.

Health officials in Gaza said their facilities documented new casualties in several locations across the territory, with rescue workers struggling to reach victims in areas of ongoing military operations. Emergency responders reported that some casualties remain inaccessible beneath rubble and in streets too dangerous to access.

The humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate despite international diplomatic pressure, including a United Nations Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cessation of hostilities. The conflict, which intensified after Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel, has forced most of Gaza’s civilian population to flee their homes.

Aid organizations report critical shortages of basic necessities. The territory’s 2.3 million residents face dwindling supplies of food, potable water, and medical supplies under ongoing restrictions on humanitarian access.

Diplomatic initiatives led by American, Egyptian, and Qatari mediators to broker a cease-fire and facilitate a prisoner exchange have reached an impasse. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel has maintained his position against halting military operations, despite mounting international pressure.

The conflict has drawn heightened international scrutiny, with Israel facing proceedings at the International Court of Justice in The Hague over its conduct of the war in Gaza.