Gaza Death Toll Tops 58,000 as Ceasefire Talks Stall

Rabat – The Gaza Health Ministry said the total number of people Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) killed since the war began in October 2023 has surpassed 58,026, as ceasefire talks remain deadlocked. At least 138,500 people have been injured.

The devastating war on Gaza has pushed over two million people in Gaza to the brink of famine. The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) reported on Sunday that a seven-month-old baby girl named Salam died from malnutrition. Gaza authorities say 67 children have already died of hunger.

UNICEF, the UN’s children’s agency, said 5,800 children were diagnosed with malnutrition in June, with more than 1,000 in severe condition. “Children’s bodies are wasting away. This is not just a nutrition crisis. It’s a child survival emergency,” UNICEF said.

Eight UN agencies, including UNICEF, the World Food Programme, and the World Health Organization, warned that their operations in Gaza could stop completely due to a lack of fuel. Without fuel, hospitals, ambulances, and clean water systems cannot function.

Gaza’s Government Media Office accused Israel and its allies of targeting civilians at aid distribution points. It called US-backed humanitarian aid areas “death traps” and accused Israel of carrying out “genocide engineering” with US support – a concern that has been echoed by international humanitarian agencies.

Since the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) began operating in May, at least 805 people have been killed and 5,250 wounded while trying to collect aid, according to Palestinian officials.

Meanwhile, ceasefire talks are still underway in Doha, Qatar. US President Donald Trump said he hopes a deal will be reached soon. His Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, was in talks with Qatari mediators on the sidelines of the FIFA Club World Cup Final in the US.

However, a US-backed plan for a 60-day ceasefire remains stuck.

Muhammad al-Hindi, a senior leader in Palestinian Islamic Jihad, told Al Jazeera that Israel is refusing to commit to key demands, including ending the war, withdrawing troops, and allowing safe delivery of aid. He said the talks cannot move forward until those conditions are met.

“We cannot legitimize these aid traps that are killing our people. The resistance will not sign any agreement that amounts to surrender,” he said.