Over 1,000 Palestinians killed in Gaza during ceasefire, Health Ministry reports

The Gaza Health Ministry reported on June 18, 2026, that over 1,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza Strip since a ceasefire took effect in October 2025. According to official ministry figures, 1,005 to 1,007 Palestinians have died from Israeli military operations, with an additional 3,165 injured during the ceasefire period. The ministry's data, which is maintained by medical professionals and viewed as generally reliable by the international community, recorded nine deaths and more than 20 injuries in the three days preceding the report.

Despite the ceasefire agreement reached on October 10, 2025, following mediation by Egypt, Qatar, the United States, and Turkey, Israeli military operations have continued. The enclave has experienced near-daily drone strikes, shelling, and gunfire along the boundary dividing Gaza into Israeli and Palestinian-controlled zones. Recent attacks have targeted towns and refugee camps in central Gaza and Gaza City. On June 18, an Israeli strike in Khan Younis killed two Palestinians and wounded six others near the beach in the Muwasi tent camp, where hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians reside. The Israeli military acknowledged conducting the strike but described the target as a "terrorist" without providing additional details.

Israel has stated it continues operations against Hamas and allied militants, and has expanded the territory it controls within Gaza. Under the ceasefire agreement, Israeli troops withdrew to the "yellow line" while retaining control over more than 50 percent of Gaza's territory. Both Israel and Hamas have accused each other of violating the ceasefire terms.

The latest deaths contribute to a far larger toll from the broader conflict that began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel, killing approximately 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. The Gaza Health Ministry reported that the total casualty count from the conflict since October 2023 has reached 73,018 deaths and over 173,000 injuries. Before the crisis, Gaza was home to approximately 2.3 million Palestinians.