More than 70,000 Palestinians have been killed as a result of Israel's military campaign in Gaza, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry. The death toll has continued to rise since a ceasefire took effect on 10 October, with Israel carrying out air strikes for what it says are violations of the truce - while bodies continue to be recovered from under the rubble.
Among those reportedly killed in an Israeli drone strike on Saturday were two young brothers, Fadi and Juma Abu Assi, whose family said they had been gathering firewood when they were killed. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) told the BBC they had struck two suspects who had crossed the so-called yellow line, the boundary where the Israeli military agreed to withdraw to under a ceasefire brokered by the US.
The boys who died have been described in media reports as an eight-year-old and his brother, aged 10 or 11. Relatives said the children had been looking for firewood east of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip when they were killed. Their funeral was held at Nasser Hospital on Saturday.
Figures from Gaza's Ministry of Health (MoH) have been widely used throughout the war and are seen as reliable by the United Nations (UN) and international institutions. However, Israel has consistently disputed data published by Gaza's authorities. As of now, Gaza's Health Ministry cites the Palestinian toll at 70,100, with more than 350 of those deaths occurring since the ceasefire on October 10.
The Israeli military initially launched its offensive on Gaza following a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in around 1,200 fatalities and dozens more taken hostage.
