Palestinian death toll in Gaza war crosses 74,000: Health Ministry
The Palestinian death toll in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war has surpassed 74,000, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. Despite a U.S.-brokered ceasefire, fighting persists, and key diplomatic and reconstruction efforts remain stalled.
Why it matters
The rising casualty figures and the failure of the ceasefire highlight the deepening humanitarian crisis and the lack of a clear path toward a political resolution.
The Palestinian death toll from the nearly three-year Israel-Hamas war has crossed 74,000, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
While a ceasefire that took effect on October 10 has halted the heaviest fighting, Israeli strikes have continued, with the military saying they are in response to threats or attacks.
Gaza’s Health Ministry on Saturday (September 26, 2026) said the Palestinian death toll had risen to 74,016, with 1,75,068 people wounded. The war erupted on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants attacked Israel, killing about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 251 others hostage.
Since the ceasefire, 1,145 Palestinians have been killed, the Ministry said. The Ministry, which is part of the Hamas-led government, maintains detailed records that are viewed as generally reliable by UN agencies and international organisations. It does not distinguish between civilians and militants, but says women and children account for around half the death toll.
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