Over 55,000 Palestinians killed in ongoing Israeli attacks on Gaza: Gaza Health Ministry
Deir al-Balah (Gaza Strip): The death toll of Palestinians in the ongoing Israeli military offensive on the Gaza Strip has surpassed 55,000, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The figure marks a catastrophic human cost in what many international observers, rights groups, and legal experts have called a campaign of genocide against the Palestinian people.
The Health Ministry, which is staffed by medical professionals operating under the Hamas-run administration, reported on Wednesday that 55,104 Palestinians have been killed since the start of the onslaught, with 127,394 injured. It noted that women and children make up more than half of the fatalities. Many more are believed to be buried under rubble or remain unreachable in devastated zones.
The attacks by Israel escalated in October 2023, following an attack on Israel by Hamas on October 7 and years of blockade, occupation, and systemic repression in Gaza and the West Bank. While Israeli officials routinely claim that only fighters are targeted, the scale of destruction and the civilian death toll suggest otherwise, with entire neighborhoods flattened, hospitals destroyed, and over 90% of Gaza’s population displaced.
Vast portions of Gaza, including what was once the densely populated city of Rafah, have been converted into a militarized buffer zone, forcibly cleared of their inhabitants. Observers note that the level of devastation is unprecedented, with some calling it the most destructive military campaign since World War II.
In recent months, a 2½-month Israeli blockade, imposed after the collapse of a temporary ceasefire, deepened fears of mass starvation. Although partially lifted in May with a new aid mechanism backed by Israel and the US, the system has been marked by chaos, limited access, looting, and continued Israeli restrictions, the United Nations has said.
Israel accuses Hamas of diverting aid, but the UN and international humanitarian agencies deny any organized siphoning of supplies by Palestinian fighters. Aid deliveries remain sporadic and inadequate, as Gaza’s health and infrastructure systems have largely collapsed.
Israel claims to have killed over 20,000 Palestinian fighters, a number it has not substantiated with evidence and acknowledges that Hamas continues to control parts of Gaza outside of active combat zones. 55 Israeli hostages remain in Gaza, fewer than half believed to be alive.
Hamas has indicated that it would release the hostages in exchange for a full Israeli withdrawal, a permanent ceasefire, and the release of Palestinian prisoners. It has also offered to transfer governance to a politically independent Palestinian council. Israel, under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has rejected these terms, insisting instead on temporary ceasefires only to retrieve hostages.
Netanyahu has stated that Israel intends to maintain indefinite control over Gaza and has even spoken of encouraging the “voluntary emigration” of its population, a plan widely condemned as ethnic cleansing and in violation of international law.
With over half of Gaza’s population now homeless and tens of thousands dead, the humanitarian catastrophe continues to worsen amid what Palestinian advocates and legal scholars are increasingly describing as a state-led campaign of displacement, destruction, and genocide.
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UDF leaders see local body poll trends as pointer to 2026 Assembly elections in Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Buoyed by the strong performance of the Congress-led UDF in the local body polls, KPCC president Sunny Joseph said on Saturday that the front's results indicated the people had rejected the LDF government.
According to early trends, the UDF was leading in more grama panchayats, block panchayats, municipalities and corporations than the LDF.
The local body polls were held in two phases in the state earlier this week.
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Speaking to reporters here, Joseph said the people of Kerala had extended their support to the UDF.
"We could expose the LDF government’s anti-people stance and the people understood it. The LDF’s fake propaganda was rejected by the people. The UDF is moving towards a historic victory," he said.
He said a united effort, proper preparations, good candidate selection and hard work had resulted in the Congress and the UDF’s victory in the elections.
Asked about the prospects in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, Joseph said the party was studying the matter and would comment later.
LDF convenor T P Ramakrishnan said the results would be closely examined.
According to him, the government had done everything possible for the people.
"Why such a verdict happened will be examined at the micro level. People’s opinion will be considered and further steps will be taken," he said.
He added that decisions would be taken after analysing the results. "If any corrective measures are required, we will initiate them and move forward," he said.
AICC leader K C Venugopal said the results showed that people had begun ousting those who, he alleged, were responsible for the loss of gold at Lord Ayyappa’s temple.
"This trend will continue in the Assembly elections as well. It is an indication that the people are ready to bring down the LDF government," he said.
Venugopal said the UDF had registered victories even in CPI(M) and LDF strongholds.
"I congratulate all UDF workers for their hard work. Congress workers and leaders worked unitedly," he said.
Referring to remarks made by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan against the Congress on polling day, Venugopal said the voters had responded through the verdict.
"I do not know whether the chief minister understands that the people are against him. Otherwise, he does not know the sentiment of the people. The state government cannot move an inch further," he said.
He said the results indicated a strong comeback for the UDF in Kerala.
Asked whether the Sabarimala gold loss issue had affected the LDF in the local polls, Venugopal said the CM and the CPI(M) state secretary did not take the issue seriously.
"We took a strong stand on the matter. The BJP played a foul game in it," he alleged.
On the BJP's role in the local body elections, Venugopal alleged that the party operated with the CPI(M) 's tacit support.
"The CPI(M) supported the central government on issues such as PM-SHRI, labour codes and corruption in national highway construction. The CPI(M) is facing ideological decline, and the state government’s policies are against the party’s own decisions," he said.
Meanwhile, LDF ally Kerala Congress (M) leader Jose K Mani said the party could not win all the wards it had expected in the elections.
He congratulated winners from all parties and said the party would closely examine the losses and identify shortcomings. "Later, we will take corrective measures," he added.
Senior Congress leader and MP Rajmohan Unnithan said the trends in the local body elections indicated that the UDF would return to power in the 2026 Assembly elections.
"We will win 111 seats as in 1977 and return to power in 2026. The anti-government sentiment of the people is reflected in the elections," he said.
Unnithan said the people were disturbed and unhappy with the present government.
"The trend indicates the end of the LDF government," he added.
CPI(M) MLA M M Mani said the people had shown ingratitude towards the LDF despite benefiting from welfare schemes.
"After receiving all welfare schemes and living comfortably, people voted against us due to some temporary sentiments. Is that not ingratitude," he asked.
Mani said no such welfare initiatives had taken place in Kerala earlier.
"People are receiving pensions and have enough to eat. Even after getting all this, they voted against us. This is what can be called ingratitude," he said.
Muslim League state president Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal said the results were beyond expectations.
"The outcome points towards the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram, indicating that a change of government is imminent. We are going to win the Assembly election," he said.
