Gaza Death Toll Tops 63,600 As Israel Stays Silent On Ceasefire Proposal

(MENAFN- Daily News Egypt) The death toll in the Gaza Strip has continued to rise, the enclave's health ministry said on Tuesday, as Israel remained silent on a proposed ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal that Hamas has accepted.

Gaza's Health Ministry said that 76 people were killed and 281 wounded in the past 24 hours, bringing the total death toll since October 7, 2023, to 63,633 with 160,914 injured. The ministry added that from March 18 this year until today, 11,502 people have been killed and around 48,900 injured.

According to the ministry, 12 people seeking humanitarian aid were killed and 90 wounded in the past day, raising the total number of what it described as“breadline martyrs” to 2,306 deaths and more than 16,929 injuries. Health authorities also reported 13 deaths linked to famine and malnutrition, including three children, pushing the total to 361 deaths, 130 of them children.

In Doha, Qatar's foreign ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari said Israel has yet to respond to mediators over the proposed deal. Speaking at a weekly press conference, he said:“There is no Israeli response to the mediators so far. There are contacts to return to negotiations,” warning that Israel's plan to seize Gaza City and displace its residents“puts everyone at risk, including Israeli captives.”

In Europe, Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot announced that his country will recognize the State of Palestine during the United Nations General Assembly in New York this month and will also impose“tough sanctions” on the Israeli government.

Meanwhile, a flotilla of about 20 ships carrying hundreds of activists set sail again from Barcelona late Monday bound for Gaza, aiming to open a“humanitarian corridor” after being forced to return to port earlier in the day due to severe winds, according to AFP journalists.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan intensified his criticism of Israel, saying that committing genocide“will never be forgotten,” and stressing that the entire world bears responsibility for stopping atrocities in Gaza. He added there is no explanation for the international community's failure to halt the suffering of civilians, including children, infants and the elderly, who have been dying of hunger for 23 months.

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