Palestinian death toll in Gaza climbs to 31,726: ministry

Gaza: The Palestinian death toll in the Gaza Strip due to the ongoing Israeli attacks has risen to 31,726, with 73,792 others wounded, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said in a press statement on Monday.

The Israeli army killed 81 Palestinians and wounded 116 others during the past 24 hours, according to the ministry.

The statement noted that some victims remained under the rubble amid heavy Israeli bombardment and a lack of civil defense and ambulance crews.

Israel launched a large-scale offensive against the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) in Gaza to retaliate against a Hamas rampage through the southern Israeli border on Oct. 7, 2023, during which about 1,200 people were killed and more than 200 were taken hostage.