RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — More than 29,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza Strip since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, the territory's health ministry said Monday, marking another grim milestone in the deadliest wave of violence in Der's history Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to continue the offensive until “total victory” against Hamas, raising fears that troops will soon advance into the southernmost town of Rafah on the Egyptian border, where over half of the 2.3 million People in Gaza have sought refuge from the fighting elsewhere.
The United States, Israel's main ally, says it is still working with mediators Egypt and Qatar to try to negotiate another ceasefire and a deal to release hostages. But those efforts appear to have stalled in recent days, and Netanyahu angered Qatar, which hosted Hamas leaders, by calling on it to put pressure on the militant group.
According to the Ministry of Health, 107 bodies were brought to hospitals in the last 24 hours. This brings the total number of deaths since the start of the war to 29,092.
The ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its records, but says about two-thirds of those killed were women and children. More than 69,000 Palestinians have been injured, straining the capacity of hospitals in the territory, less than half of which are even partially functioning.
The Ministry of Health is part of the Hamas-run government in Gaza but keeps detailed records of casualties. Its figures from previous wars in Gaza are broadly consistent with those of UN agencies, independent experts and even Israel's own figures.
The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel from Gaza on October 7, killing about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking about 250 hostage.
During a week-long ceasefire in November, more than 100 prisoners were released in exchange for 240 Palestinians detained by Israel. About 130 people are still being held by militants, a quarter of whom are believed to be dead.
Israel responded to the attack with one of the deadliest and most destructive military campaigns in recent history in the besieged enclave, which has been ruled by Hamas since 2007.
Israel says it has killed over 10,000 Palestinian militants without providing evidence. The military says it is trying to avoid harming civilians and blames Hamas for the high death toll because the militant group fights in densely populated neighborhoods. The military says 236 of its soldiers have been killed since the ground offensive began in late October.
According to UN officials, the war, which shows no signs of ending, has forced about 80% of Palestinians in Gaza from their homes and left a quarter of the population starving.
On Sunday, Benny Gantz, a retired general and member of Netanyahu's three-member war cabinet, warned that the offensive would be expanded to Rafah if the hostages were not released by the expected start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan around March 10. The month of dawn-to-dusk fasting is often a time of heightened tension in the region.
Israel has said it is developing plans to evacuate civilians from Rafah, but it is not clear where they will go in the devastated area, large parts of which have been leveled. Egypt has sealed the border and warned that a mass influx of Palestinians could jeopardize its decades-old peace treaty with Israel.
The United States maintains that it is still pushing for a ceasefire and the release of hostages and that it would veto a U.N. Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire because it contradicts those efforts.
Hamas has said it will not release all remaining hostages until Israel ends the war and withdraws from Gaza. It also calls for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, including top militants.
Netanyahu has rejected these demands, calling them “delusions.” In a speech to American Jewish leaders on Sunday, he said pressure should be put on Qatar, which played a key role in brokering the ceasefire and hostage release agreement last year.
“Qatar can put pressure on Hamas like no other. They harbor Hamas leaders, Hamas is financially dependent on them,” Netanyahu said. “I urge you to urge Qatar to put pressure on Hamas because we want our hostages to be released.”
Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari dismissed Netanyahu's comments as “a new attempt to delay and prolong the war for reasons obvious to everyone,” alluding to the Israeli leader's domestic political problems.
Qatar denies funding Hamas and says its aid to Gaza in recent years has been in full coordination with Israel, the United States and other parties.
“The Israeli prime minister knows very well that Qatar has been committed to mediation efforts from day one to end the crisis and free the hostages,” al-Ansari said.
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Magdy reported from Cairo
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