Palestinian death toll in Gaza war rises above 74,000 since the war began and other Mideast news

The Palestinian death toll from the nearly three-year Israel-Hamas war has surpassed 74,000, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.

While a ceasefire that took effect last Oct. 10 has halted the heaviest fighting, Israeli strikes have continued in what the military has said are responses to threats or attacks.

Meanwhile, the World Health Organization said that almost 700 people in Yemen have been killed since an escalation last month and that more than 130,000 people have been displaced.

Here is a look at the latest news from the Middle East on Sunday.

Gaza ceasefire remains largely stalled

Gaza’s Health Ministry on Saturday said the Palestinian death toll has risen to 74,016 people, with 175,068 wounded. The war erupted on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants invaded Israel, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 251 others hostage.

Since the ceasefire, 1,145 Palestinians have been killed, said the ministry, which is part of the Hamas-led government. It maintains detailed records viewed as generally reliable by U.N. agencies and international organizations. It does not distinguish between civilians and militants, but says women and children make up around half the toll.

An Israeli strike in the Muwasi area of Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip killed one person and wounded three others, Palestinian health officials said Sunday.

Meanwhile, seven Israeli soldiers have been killed since the ceasefire.

Other aspects of the U.S.-brokered ceasefire remain largely stalled. Israeli forces now control over half of the Palestinian territory, Hamas has not disarmed, a new Palestinian government has not arrived and reconstruction has not yet begun.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israeli forces will not withdraw until Hamas disarms.

Israel’s Jewish opposition vows cooperation to beat Netanyahu

Israel’s leading Jewish opposition parties said in a statement Saturday evening that they promised to join efforts to beat Netanyahu’s coalition in next month’s “critical elections.” The parties have been criticized for infighting.

The vote, the first since the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks, is largely seen as a referendum on the security failures that led to the attacks.

The meeting was attended by Gadi Eisenkot, a former military chief seen as Netanyahu’s main challenger; Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid, two former prime ministers running together; Yair Golan, head of the center-left party, and Avigdor Lieberman, who heads a hawkish opposition party.

They said they would work together to increase turnout, “combat fake news and smear campaigns” and to formulate the basic principles of the next government.

“We recognize that these elections are critical to the future of the state,” the joint statement said.

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This report will be updated throughout the day as new developments emerge.