The Palestinian death toll in the nearly three-year-old Israel-Hamas war has surpassed 74,000. Gaza’s Ministry of Health made the claim on Sunday. Although a ceasefire that took effect on October 10 has stopped most of the fighting, Israeli attacks have continued, which the military says are in response to threats or attacks.

Gaza’s Ministry of Health said Palestinians The death toll has risen to 74,016, and 175,068 injured. The war began on October 7, 2023, when militants led by Hamas attacked Israel, killing nearly 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 251 others hostage.

Thousands of families were left in mourning amid the war

The ministry, part of the Hamas-led government, said 1,145 Palestinians had been killed since the ceasefire. It keeps detailed records that are generally considered reliable by UN agencies and international organizations. It does not distinguish between civilians and militants, but says nearly half of the deaths were women and children.

Meanwhile, seven Israeli soldiers have been killed since the ceasefire. Other aspects of the US-brokered ceasefire are largely on hold. The Israeli army now controls more than half of Palestinian territory, Hamas has not laid down its weapons, a new Palestinian government has not been formed and reconstruction has not yet begun.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says that until Hamas gives up its weapons. Israel’s army will not retreat. Israel’s Jewish opposition pledges cooperation to defeat Netanyahu.

Netanyahu’s litmus test next month

Israel’s main Jewish opposition parties pledged in a statement to join efforts to defeat Netanyahu’s coalition in crucial elections next month. The parties have been criticized for infighting. The vote, the first since the October 7, 2023 attacks, is widely seen as a referendum on the security failures that led to the attacks.

The meeting included former military chief Geddy Eisenkot, considered Netanyahu’s main challenger; The two former prime ministers running together are Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid; Yair Golan, head of the center-left party, and Avigdor Lieberman, head of the hard-line opposition party, attended.

They said they will work together to increase voter turnout, fight fake news and smear campaigns and form the basic principles of the next government. “We believe that these elections are very important for the future of the state,” the joint statement said.