The death toll from the Gaza war has exceeded 70,000, according to figures released on Saturday by the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza.
The ministry said 70,100 people have been killed since the conflict between Israel and Hamas began more than two years ago.
The announcement comes as a US-brokered ceasefire continues to hold, despite both sides accusing each other of violating the agreement.
According to the ministry, 354 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since the ceasefire took effect on October 10.
It also noted that two bodies were brought to Gaza hospitals in the past 48 hours, including one recovered from beneath rubble.
Officials said the sudden jump in the overall toll resulted from the verification and approval of data relating to 299 previously unprocessed bodies.
Despite the lull in fighting, Gaza’s humanitarian situation remains dire, with widespread displacement, food shortages, and limited access to medical care.
The latest figures were released as the United Nations marked the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People on November 29.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres said the conflict had “tested the norms and laws that have guided the international community for generations.”
“The killing of so many civilians, the repeated displacement of an entire population, and the obstruction of humanitarian aid should never be acceptable under any circumstances,” he said.
Guterres added that the ceasefire “offers a glimmer of hope,” urging all sides to respect it and pursue lasting solutions grounded in international law.
The war began after Hamas launched an attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,221 people. Militants abducted 251 individuals into Gaza that day.
At the start of the latest ceasefire, Hamas was holding 20 living hostages and the bodies of 28 others.
The group has since released all surviving captives and returned the remains of 26. In return, Israel has freed nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and released the bodies of hundreds of Palestinians.