More than 1,400 people in Gaza have been killed in Israeli attacks since a ceasefire began on 10 October last year, according to figures from Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry, which the UN considers reliable. The ceasefire was intended to end the war, which began on 7 October 2023.
Despite the ceasefire, which saw Israel's large-scale bombardment stop and an increase in humanitarian aid, Israel has continued launching strikes in Gaza almost every day. In the past week alone, over 30 people have been killed, the health ministry stated. Israel maintains it is targeting Hamas operatives and accuses Hamas of ongoing ceasefire violations. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated they had no record of two specific incidents cited by the BBC.
The total death toll from Israeli attacks since the war began three years ago now exceeds 74,000, according to the Gaza health ministry. Most of Gaza's 2.1 million population has been displaced multiple times, with many living in tented cities and unsafe structures, according to the UN. The October 2025 peace deal, which included the release of thousands of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for 48 remaining hostages and an agreement to end the war, has stalled, preventing reconstruction efforts.
US President Donald Trump's plan to disarm Hamas was rejected by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in August, who stated no military pull-out would occur until Hamas was "genuinely" disarmed. Hamas has linked handing over heavy weapons to Israel ending "all forms of aggression" and withdrawing its forces from Gaza.