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Over 20,000 Palestinians killed in Israel-Hamas war, claims Hamas
Israel-Hamas war: The figure amounts to nearly 1% of the territory's pre-war population.
Israel-Hamas war: More than 20,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's military offensive against Hamas, news agency Associated Press reported, citing the health officials in the enclave.
The figure amounts to nearly 1% of the Gaza's pre-war population. The war has displaced nearly 85% of Gaza's people and levelled wide swaths of the tiny coastal enclave.
Gaza's health ministry said it has documented 20,057 deaths and 53,320 injuries in the fighting. Of these roughly two-thirds of the dead were women or minors, it added.
According to AP, the Hamar-run ministry does not differentiate between Hamas members and civilian deaths.
Israel declared war against Hamas after the Palestinian militant group attacked Israeli settlements on Oct. 7 and killed some 1,200 people and kidnapped 240 others.
Israel has carried out thousands of airstrikes as well as a fierce ground offensive in what it says is a campaign to destroy Hamas' military capabilities. It blames Hamas for the high civilian death toll, citing the group's use of crowded residential areas for military purposes.
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Israeli officials say the army has killed some 7,000 Hamas militants. However, it has not presented any evidence to back up the claim, according to AP.
Despite calls for a ceasefire, Israel has said it would press on until Hamas, which has ruled Gaza for 16 years, has been destroyed.
"We won't stop fighting until we've achieved all the objectives we've set ourselves: the elimination of Hamas, the release of our hostages and the end of the threat from Gaza," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.
Israel's Foreign Minister Eli Cohen asserted that Tel Aviv will continue the war with or without international support.
"Israel will continue the war against Hamas with or without international support," Foreign Minister Eli Cohen said on December 13. “A ceasefire at the current stage is a gift to the terrorist organisation Hamas, and will allow it to return and threaten the residents of Israel.”
