The ceasefire, now over a week old, remains fragile amid mutual accusations of violations, slow aid deliveries, and an escalating humanitarian crisis that has left famine and devastation across Gaza.
Gaza: As Gaza’s death toll crosses 68,000 amid ongoing ceasefire efforts, Israel confirmed the identification of another hostage’s remains handed over by Hamas, highlighting the fragile and grim state of the two-year-long conflict.
Palestinian death toll rises past 68,000
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Gaza’s Health Ministry reported on Saturday that more than 68,000 Palestinians have been killed since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, with the number rising even after the ceasefire came into effect over a week ago.
Most of the newly recorded deaths have been discovered during recovery operations beneath the rubble, officials said. The United Nations has acknowledged the ministry’s figures as reliable indicators of the scale of destruction in Gaza.
Israel identifies remains of abducted worker
Israel’s Prime Minister’s Office confirmed that the remains of 76-year-old Eliyahu Margalit, abducted by Hamas during its 7 October 2023 attack, were identified after forensic testing. Margalit was kidnapped from the horse stables where he worked at Kibbutz Nir Oz.
He became the tenth hostage whose body was returned under the ceasefire terms. The Hostage Families Forum said Margalit’s identification brought limited comfort to his relatives but vowed to continue weekly rallies until all 18 remaining hostages are accounted for.
Ceasefire under strain
Despite the truce, tension remains high. Hamas accused Israel of breaching the ceasefire after a vehicle carrying civilians was reportedly struck by Israeli fire in Gaza City, killing nine people. Israel’s military said the vehicle posed an “imminent threat” and that troops acted in line with the ceasefire rules.
Israel continues to control about half of Gaza as part of the first phase of the agreement, and both sides accuse each other of violating terms.
Aid and reconstruction challenges
Humanitarian aid continues to flow slowly. The UN said 339 trucks carrying essential supplies had entered Gaza since the ceasefire began, far below the agreed 600 per day. Israel’s defence body, COGAT, claimed over 900 trucks, including commercial ones, crossed on Thursday.
However, aid agencies say the restrictions and limited access points, including the Rafah border crossing with Egypt, are preventing relief from reaching civilians.
Humanitarian crisis deepens
Famine has been declared in parts of Gaza City, with the UN confirming over 400 malnutrition-related deaths, including more than 100 children. Israel maintains that sufficient food was allowed in but accuses Hamas of seizing aid—an allegation denied by the UN and aid groups.
Thousands remain missing under the rubble as recovery efforts continue amid dangerous conditions and unexploded ordnance.
A war with no closure
The ceasefire, while halting large-scale combat, has revealed the massive human toll of the war and the slow, painful process of recovery. As both sides negotiate the return of bodies and the delivery of aid, families on both sides continue to search for closure — a peace still uncertain after two years of devastation.
(With AP inputs)
Published: 18 Oct 2025, 07:46 pm IST
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