Palestinian death toll in Gaza exceeds 31,000: Ministry

Gaza. The Hamas-run health ministry said in a press statement that the death toll of Palestinians from ongoing Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip has exceeded 31,000. Israeli forces killed 85 Palestinians and wounded 130 others in various areas of the coastal belt during the past 24 hours, according to a statement issued on Sunday, bringing the total number of deaths to 31,045 and 72,654 wounded.
The statement said some victims were buried under debris amid heavy bombardment, a crisis in civil defense and a shortage of ambulance staff, Xinhua news agency reported. Israel is carrying out a large-scale attack against Hamas in the Gaza Strip in retaliation for the uprising that began through the southern Israeli border on October 7, 2023. About 1,200 people were killed in the attacks and more than 240 were taken hostage.