The number of people killed in the continuing conflict in Gaza has now passed 70,000, according to health officials in the area. This is a very sad and shocking number. This news comes even though a temporary peace agreement, or truce, is in place. However, fighting still happens sometimes, and workers continue to find bodies in the destroyed buildings. The numbers come from the Health Ministry in Gaza, which is run by Hamas. Major international organizations use these numbers, but Israeli officials often disagree with them.
The truce began on October 10 and brought a nervous quiet to Gaza. But this peace is fragile and has been broken by violence. For example, last Saturday, an Israeli drone strike in southern Gaza killed two young brothers. The boys, eight-year-old Fadi and ten-year-old Juma Abu Assi, were collecting firewood for their family, who had lost their home. They were buried the same day at a hospital that is struggling to help all the people hurt in the war.
The Israeli military said the strike was aimed at two people who crossed a security line. This line marks how far Israeli soldiers had agreed to move back under the truce. The army says its actions are necessary when people break the truce rules. However, the deaths of the two boys have made many people question these military actions and the war's effect on civilians.
It is hard to check the exact number of deaths. Because of an Israeli blockade, foreign journalists cannot enter Gaza to count for themselves. This means the world must depend on local reports. While the huge number of deaths is hard to argue with, the exact details are often disputed. As leaders try to make the peace last, people in Gaza face a terrible reality where it is hard to tell if there is peace or war, and they continue to search for safety.