Gaza Death Toll Surpasses 70,000, Says Health Ministry

A Palestinian woman carries a prayer mat at the site of an overnight Israeli strike on a tent, in Gaza City, Sept 8, 2025.

The death toll from Israel’s ongoing offensive in the Gaza Strip has exceeded 70,000, the territory’s health ministry said on Saturday.

Authorities reported that 301 additional fatalities were added to the tally since Thursday, raising the total to 70,100. According to the ministry, two people were killed in recent Israeli strikes, while the remaining deaths were confirmed after human remains long buried under rubble were identified.

Israel has not yet commented on the latest figures. Its military has repeatedly denied targeting civilians since the conflict began more than two years ago.

Israeli officials have also cast doubt on casualty data provided by Gaza’s health authorities, accusing Hamas of inflating numbers — allegations the group denies.

Much of Gaza has been devastated since Israel launched its retaliation following the Hamas attack on 7 October 2023. The widespread destruction has made accurate casualty reporting increasingly difficult.

In the early months of the war, officials in Gaza recorded deaths based on bodies brought to hospitals and registered identities. In later stages, they delayed adding thousands of reported fatalities until medical, forensic and legal verification could be completed.

Since a fragile ceasefire took effect on 10 October, the death toll has continued to rise as teams take advantage of relative calm to recover bodies from the ruins.

Public health experts say Gaza had stronger population data and health information systems than many Middle Eastern countries before the war, helping authorities maintain credible records. The UN frequently cites the health ministry’s figures and considers them reliable.