DEIR EL-BALAH – The staggering loss of life in the Israel-Hamas conflict has now exceeded 70,000, according to a report from Gaza’s Health Ministry on Saturday. In a tragic incident, a hospital confirmed that two young Palestinian boys lost their lives due to Israeli fire in the southern part of the territory.

The death toll has relentlessly climbed even after a ceasefire was established on October 10. Israeli forces have continued to launch strikes, citing breaches of the truce, while the aftermath of previous attacks reveals more casualties as bodies are unearthed from the ruins.

The Health Ministry, operating under Hamas governance, announced that the Palestinian casualties have reached 70,100. Despite being part of the Hamas-led administration, the ministry’s medical personnel are acknowledged for keeping comprehensive records, which are widely considered credible by international observers.

This devastating war erupted following a Hamas-led assault on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in approximately 1,200 deaths and the abduction of over 250 hostages by militants. Most of these hostages, or their remains, have been returned through ceasefires and various negotiations.

In a particularly heart-wrenching episode, staff at Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza reported the deaths of two brothers, aged 8 and 11. The boys perished when an Israeli drone strike occurred near a school in Beni Suhaila, which was serving as a refuge for displaced individuals.

Israel’s military said it killed two people who crossed into an Israeli-controlled area, “conducted suspicious activities” and approached troops. The statement didn’t mention children. The military said it also killed another person in a separate but similar incident in the south.

At least 352 Palestinians have been killed across the territory since the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect on Oct. 10, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which doesn’t differentiate between civilians and combatants.

Israel says its strikes are aimed at militants violating the truce. Both Israel and Hamas have accused the other of violating the deal. Hamas again urged mediators on Saturday to pressure Israel to stop what it called ceasefire violations in Gaza.

A U.S. blueprint outlining the future of Gaza, which has been devastated by more than two years of war, is still in the early stages. The plan to secure and govern the territory authorizes an international stabilization force to provide security, approves a transitional authority to be overseen by U.S. President Donald Trump and envisions a possible future path to an independent Palestinian state.

Israeli forces have pushed forward on a number of other fronts in the region in recent weeks.

Syrian officials said that Israeli forces raided a Syrian village on Friday and opened fire when they were confronted by residents, killing at least 13 people. Israel said it conducted the operation to apprehend suspects of a militant group planning attacks in Israel, and that the militants opened fired at troops, wounding six.

Israel also has escalated strikes in Lebanon, saying it’s targeting Hezbollah sites and asserting that the militant group is attempting to rearm.

Hezbollah called on Pope Leo XIV to “reject injustice and aggression,” in reference to the near-daily Israeli strikes, despite a ceasefire that ended the 14-month war between the two sides a year ago. The pope is visiting the region on his first foreign trip.

In the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Israeli soldiers were accused by Palestinians of executing two men on Thursday after footage aired by two Arab television stations showed troops shooting the men after they appeared to surrender. The Israeli military said that it was investigating.

Israeli settler violence has continued to rise in the West Bank. On Saturday, the Palestinian Red Crescent said that 10 Palestinians were injured by beatings and live ammunition during settler attacks in Khallet al-Louza village close to Bethlehem.

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Samy Magdy reported from Cairo.

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Find more of AP’s Israel-Hamas coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war