The Ministry of Health in Gaza reported on Thursday that the cumulative death toll from Israel’s assault on the Gaza Strip has risen to 72,045 Palestinians, with 171,686 others wounded, since the beginning of the offensive on October 7, 2023.
Israeli soldiers fired many live rounds at tents of displaced families in the al-Mawasi area of Khan Younis, in southern Gaza, wounding several Palestinians, including a child, Ahmad Al-Basyouni, 14, who was shot in the back while sleeping.
Sources at Al‑Awda Hospital in northern Gaza said Israeli soldiers also shot a woman after the army opened fire with live rounds at displaced Palestinians in central Gaza.
According to the ministry, hospitals received the bodies of four Palestinians recovered from beneath the rubble over the past 24 hours, along with five wounded.
Health officials said many more victims remain trapped under collapsed buildings and in the streets, where ambulance and civil‑defense crews are still unable to reach them due to ongoing bombardment, destroyed roads, and the collapse of rescue infrastructure.
The ministry added that since the “ceasefire” announced on October 11, 2025, 591 Palestinians have been killed, 1,583 wounded, and 724 bodies have been recovered from beneath the rubble. Officials emphasized that the true number of casualties is likely higher, as large areas remain inaccessible and many neighborhoods have been reduced to debris.
Health authorities stressed that the inability to retrieve the dead or evacuate the wounded has become one of the most severe humanitarian challenges facing the population. Emergency teams continue to warn that victims are still lying under the rubble and in open areas where rescue crews cannot safely operate.
The Missing Beneath the Rubble
Approximately 11,200 people.
The rubble does not hold stones alone,
but souls who were never granted a farewell,
and breaths that faded while waiting for rescue.There, in the heavy darkness,
the sky still calls without an answer,
and hearts hang… pic.twitter.com/xfAeKvIO0m— Osama Abu Rabee أسامة أبوربيع (@dn_osama_rabee) February 12, 2026
Hospitals across Gaza remain under extreme strain. Many facilities have been damaged or destroyed, while those still functioning face acute shortages of fuel, medical supplies, and staff. Several hospitals operate far beyond capacity, and others have been forced to shut down entirely.
Humanitarian organizations warn that the combination of ongoing attacks, mass displacement, and the inability to recover the dead or treat the wounded has created a deepening crisis. With thousands still missing and entire residential blocks flattened, officials say the full scale of the devastation may not be known for months.
