GAZA CITY: The Gaza Health Ministry announced Sunday that the death toll from the ongoing conflict in Gaza has risen to over 52,000, as hundreds of people previously listed as missing have now been confirmed dead.
According to the health ministry, the newly confirmed deaths bring the total to 52,243 after a committee monitoring missing persons completed its data verification. "An additional 697 martyrs have been added to the cumulative statistics after their data was completed and verified," the statement read.
The ministry’s data has been widely recognized as credible by various United Nations agencies operating in Gaza, which frequently cite its statistics.
Hospitals in Gaza confirmed the figures, explaining the process behind the identification of missing persons. "The families of those initially reported missing had informed authorities of their disappearance, but their bodies were subsequently recovered—either from beneath rubble or from areas that were previously inaccessible due to Israeli military presence," said Khalil al-Daqran, spokesman for Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital.
The health ministry’s release of the 697 confirmed deaths came after a judicial committee, responsible for documenting casualties, completed its work. "The report was finalized and adopted once the committee confirmed the martyrs' identities," said Ismail al-Thawabta, director general of Gaza’s Media Office. He clarified that such figures are typically announced periodically, not daily, as part of the committee’s procedural protocols.
The updated death toll comes amidst the continuing devastation in Gaza after more than 18 months of warfare. The health ministry has faced significant challenges in compiling accurate statistics due to the widespread destruction of infrastructure.
While the Israeli military has not contested the overall scale of casualties, the conflict remains intense. After a temporary truce in January, hostilities resumed in March, leading to an additional 2,151 deaths.
