Gaza death toll tops 68,000; thousands still missing

Gaza’s ruins were being scoured for the dead, over a week into the ceasefire. Newly recovered bodies brought the Palestinian toll above 68,000, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Thousands of people are still missing, according to the Red Cross.

As part of the ceasefire agreement, Israel on Saturday returned the bodies of a further 15 Palestinians to Gaza. Gaza’s Health Ministry said the International Committee of the Red Cross handed them over to Nasser Hospital, bringing the total Israel has returned to 135.

Israel on Saturday said that the remains of a 10th hostage that Hamas handed over the day before were identified as Eliyahu Margalit.

The handover of 28 hostages’ remains is among key points - along with aid deliveries into Gaza and the devastated territory’s future - in the ceasefire process meant to end two years of war.

The wife (right) and daughter of Mohammed Zaghra, sit by his remains at the morgue of the Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip, after his body was released by Israel under a Gaza ceasefire and hostage exchange deal, on Saturday. AFP

Hamas again accused Israel of continuing attacks and violating the ceasefire, asserting that 38 Palestinians had been killed since it began. There was no immediate response from Israel, which still maintains control of about half of Gaza.

On Friday, Gaza’s Civil Defence, first responders operating under the Hamas-run Interior Ministry, said nine people were killed, including women and children, when their vehicle was hit by Israeli fire in Gaza City.

Agencies