UNIPA News( GAZA) 05 July-At least 16 Palestinians have died in the Gaza Strip over the past 48 hours, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health, amid continued reports of casualties despite a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the ministry said hospitals across Gaza received the bodies of 16 people. It said seven were killed in recent Israeli attacks, while nine others were recovered from beneath the rubble of destroyed buildings.

The ministry also reported that 16 people were injured during the same period, adding that additional victims are believed to remain trapped under collapsed structures because ambulance and civil defence teams have been unable to reach several affected locations.

The ministry did not provide further details on the circumstances surrounding the reported deaths and injuries.

According to the ministry, 1,066 Palestinians have been killed and 3,445 others injured in what it described as Israeli violations of the ceasefire since the truce came into effect in October.

The ministry said the overall death toll in Gaza since the conflict began in October 2023 has risen to 73,090, while the number of injured has reached 173,550.

Despite the ceasefire, Israeli forces have continued military operations in parts of Gaza and expanded areas under their control. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in late May that he had instructed the military to extend its control over more than 70 percent of the Gaza Strip.

The ceasefire agreement envisaged a second phase that would include the release of remaining captives covered under the initial deal, the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, and discussions on Hamas’ disarmament. However, negotiations have remained deadlocked, with disagreements over Hamas’ disarmament and the scope of an Israeli withdrawal continuing to delay further implementation of the agreement.