The death toll in the Gaza Strip has passed 34,000
The death toll in the Israeli war in Gaza rose on Saturday to more than 34,000, with most of the victims being women and children, at least six of whom were killed in an air strike on a house in Rafah, reports The Guardian, quoted by news.ro.
The latest toll comes as hopes of a ceasefire have dimmed and global attention has turned to the dangerous exchange of missiles and drones between Iran and Israel.
Nearly 77,000 people have also been injured, according to health officials in the Hamas-led Gaza government. The figures do not include tens of thousands of dead believed to be buried in the bombed-out ruins of homes, shops, shelters and other buildings.
The figures do not distinguish between civilians and Hamas fighters, and the Israeli army says it has killed more than 13,000 militants.
With talks suspended, Israel has signalled plans to push ahead with a ground operation in southern Rafah, the only part of Gaza where it has not sent troops. Air strikes have continued in the area, and on Friday night one hit a house in the western neighbourhood of Tel al-Sultan, killing nine people.
Israel's international allies and humanitarian organisations working in the Gaza Strip have warned that a large-scale ground offensive in a city full of displaced people in the northern Gaza Strip would be devastating.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
