At least 74,016 Palestinians have been killed and 175,068 wounded in the Gaza war, the territory’s Health Ministry said, taking the reported death toll above 74,000 as the conflict approaches its third year.

The figures were released as a US-brokered ceasefire remained largely stalled. The truce took effect on October 10, 2025, and halted the heaviest fighting, but Israeli strikes have continued. The Israeli military has said the operations are responses to specific threats or attacks.

Casualties continue after the ceasefire

The Gaza ministry said 1,145 Palestinians had been killed since the ceasefire began. It does not distinguish between civilians and combatants, and says women and children account for about half of those killed. Seven Israeli soldiers have also died since the truce took effect.

The ministry operates under the Hamas-led government. Its detailed records are generally regarded as reliable by United Nations agencies and international organizations, although the figures cannot independently establish the status of each casualty.

Recent reports described further Israeli strikes. Palestinian health officials said a strike in the Muwasi area of Khan Younis killed one person and wounded three others. Israel said it had targeted a Hamas military operative. A separate report said an attack on a car in Gaza City killed one person and wounded several others; Israel said that operation targeted a military operative.

Political and territorial deadlock

The next steps under the US-brokered ceasefire remain unresolved. Israeli forces control more than half of Gaza, according to the reports, while Hamas has not disarmed and a new Palestinian government has not taken office. Reconstruction has not begun.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israeli forces will not withdraw from the territory until Hamas disarms. Hamas leader Khalil Al-Hayya said in an interview that Palestinian suffering should not be used as “fuel for Israeli elections” and that the group’s priority was achieving the Palestinian people’s “goals, aspirations, and legitimate rights.”

War’s origins and destruction

The war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants entered Israel, killing about 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and taking 251 hostages, according to the reports. Israel then launched its military offensive in Gaza.

The fighting has caused extensive destruction. UN officials estimate that Gaza contains more than 60 million tons of rubble and have warned that removing it could take seven years because of shortages of fuel and heavy machinery. Human rights organizations have also raised concerns about the safety of civilians, saying attacks continue in areas where displaced people are concentrated.