Death toll in Gaza rises to 58,765 as Palestinians edge toward ‘catastrophic hunger’

Israeli attacks across Gaza have claimed the lives of at least 116 more Palestinians and injured 511 others, according to the latest reports. Among the dead are 36 people who had gathered at a Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) aid center, supported by the U.S. and Israel, to collect food.

Since the surprise attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have been conducting an ongoing military campaign in Gaza. According to the latest data from Gaza’s Ministry of Health, the death toll from this operation has now reached 58,765, with another 140,485 injured over the past 21 months.

The continued targeting of starving civilians seeking aid has drawn global condemnation. The World Food Programme (WFP) has warned that thousands of Palestinians in Gaza are now on the brink of catastrophic hunger, with one in every three residents reportedly going days without food.

According to Qatar-based Al Jazeera, Israeli airstrikes, drone attacks, and ground operations killed 28 people overnight on Friday (July 18) and 90 more throughout Saturday (July 19). Aid distribution centers and tents sheltering displaced civilians have become primary targets for Israeli forces.

In one such incident in Rafah, southern Gaza, 36 people were killed and at least 80 injured when Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinians gathered near a food distribution point. Their bodies and the injured were taken to Nasser Hospital.

The hospital also reported that Israeli troops fired on civilians in al-Nazla, Jabalia, killing two more. In Gaza City's Daraj neighborhood and both the eastern and western parts of Khan Younis, bombings targeted makeshift tent shelters for displaced people. At least six people were killed in a western Khan Younis tent, while four bodies were recovered from Bani Suheila in the east.

Sources from Al-Ahli Hospital confirmed that three people were killed in two airstrikes on the Zeitoun neighborhood in southern Gaza City. Baptist Hospital reported that an Israeli drone strike in Tuffah neighborhood killed another individual.

Doctors say the influx of 511 newly injured patients has overwhelmed hospitals, many of which are running out of medical supplies and fuel. Nasser Hospital is particularly strained.

Al Jazeera reports that food distribution in Gaza is now severely limited. With no available flour or rice, and what little remains being unaffordable, people are relying heavily on GHF centers—despite the grave risks. Many Palestinians told Al Jazeera that they walk long distances under the blazing sun to reach these centers, saying they have nothing left to lose: “Either we die of hunger, or we die in an airstrike.”

According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, since May 27 alone, more than 911 Palestinians have died while waiting for food, most of them near GHF sites.

The WFP has warned of escalating deaths due to starvation and malnutrition alongside what it described as a "massacre" at aid centers. It called on the international community to take urgent and effective action, warning of an unprecedented health and humanitarian crisis if silence continues.

The Health Ministry echoed these warnings, reporting that Gaza’s healthcare system is nearing collapse due to the hunger crisis. Hospitals are admitting increasing numbers of malnourished patients suffering from extreme exhaustion and memory loss.

On October 7, 2023, Hamas killed 1,200 Israelis and took 251 hostages. In response, Israel launched its military campaign across Gaza. Though a temporary ceasefire was declared on January 19, 2025, under pressure from the U.S. and other mediators, Israel resumed operations on March 18.

Since the second phase of the campaign began, 7,938 more Palestinians have been killed and 28,444 injured.

It is believed that of the 251 hostages taken by Hamas, at least 35 are still alive. The IDF has said it will continue its operations to rescue them.

Despite repeated calls from the UN and international organizations to end the violence, Israel’s position remains unchanged. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made it clear that the military campaign will continue until Hamas is completely eliminated and all hostages are freed.

As part of this ongoing campaign, the Israeli Air Force carried out 90 airstrikes across the Gaza Strip on Friday and Saturday alone. The IDF, citing Gaza’s total area of just 365 square kilometers, claimed its strikes targeted only military compounds and underground infrastructure.