Gaza City (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) – The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza announced Sunday that the death toll from the war had risen to more than 52,000 people, after hundreds previously listed as missing were confirmed dead.

“An additional 697 martyrs have been added to the cumulative statistics after their data was completed and verified by the committee monitoring missing persons,” the health ministry said in a statement, giving the overall toll of 52,243.

Several United Nations agencies that operate in Gaza have said the ministry’s data is credible and they are frequently cited by international organisations.

One hospital in the Palestinian territory confirmed the data and elaborated on the process.

“The families of those initially reported missing had informed authorities of their disappearance, but their bodies were subsequently recovered -— either from beneath the rubble or from areas previously inaccessible to medical teams due to the presence of the Israeli army,” said Khalil al-Daqran, spokesman for Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital.

He said the ministry’s release of the 697 figure came after a “judicial committee” that collects and checks data completed its documentation, “confirming their martyrdom and transferring their status from missing persons to martyrs.”

When asked why such a large number was announced simultaneously, the Hamas government’s Media Office in Gaza explained that statistics are released periodically.

It is not the first time the health ministry has made such a revision.

“Because the judicial committee issues its report periodically rather than daily. They follow their own procedural protocols, and once their report was finalised, it was officially adopted,” Ismail al-Thawabta, director general of the Media Office, told AFP.

With Gaza largely in ruins after more than 18 months of war, the health ministry has struggled to count the death toll.

But neither the Israeli military nor top Israeli officials have denied the scale of the overall toll.

  • blakenong
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    20 hours ago

    Good thing we stopped genocide Joe.

    • Grimy@lemmy.world
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      20 hours ago

      He stopped himself by supporting genocide.

      Maybe if all the bootlickers stopped praising the dems for running the worst campaign they could and offering nothing to their constituents, we might actually get something that works next election.

      The election is over and we have the next one coming. The fact that some troll farms in Russia took advantage of their support for genocide, doesn’t excuse the party from supporting genocide.

      • blakenong
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        20 hours ago

        Considering the entire world sat around and did nothing, I assume you also don’t support the entire world?

        Also, Joe Biden wasn’t running for president in 2024. So clearly this has nothing to do with him supporting genocide.

        • LeninOnAPrayer@lemm.ee
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          8 hours ago

          Most of the world didn’t do nothing. Most of the WESTERN world did nothing and is currently bombing the fuck out of the country that actively took steps to stop it. Yemen.

          Joe Biden literally admitted bombing Yemen had no effect but still said “were gonna do it anyway”.

          Every knew Trump would continue Biden’s policy in Gaza. Everyone wanted Harris to say something different. But she doubled down and confirmed she would have the same policy as Biden. A policy of genocide.

        • Grimy@lemmy.world
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          19 hours ago

          Actually, I do not support most of the western worlds pro-Israel stance. I don’t support doing nothing about genocide. I gather from your rhetorical question that you do support doing nothing? Not a great look.

          He was at the helm of the party and Kamala didn’t even try to distance herself from the genocide. They did what was best for a foreign genocidal apartheid state instead of what was best for us, their constituents.

          • blakenong
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            19 hours ago

            What a first grade level assumption. Not a great look.

            • Grimy@lemmy.world
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              18 hours ago

              Considering the entire world sat around and did nothing, I assume you also don’t support the entire world?

              What did you mean by this?

              • blakenong
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                18 hours ago

                I mean it as it is said. If my assumption is incorrect, then you are a hypocrite.

                Am I wrong?

                • Grimy@lemmy.world
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                  18 hours ago

                  I’m confused. I said I don’t support most of the worlds stance on it.

                  Do you support doing nothing just because those in charge do so? Was I wrong in my assumption.

                  • blakenong
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                    18 hours ago

                    You said western world. The other hemisphere did nothing, and so you naturally would include them or be a hypocrite. I am assuming you are not a hypocrite, and that you do not support the entire world for doing nothing to stop Israel.