The Palestinian death toll in the Gaza Strip has risen to 62,192, with 157,114 others injured since the conflict between Hamas and Israel erupted on October 7, 2023, Gaza's health authorities said in a statement on Thursday.
Over the past 24 hours, Israeli attacks have claimed 70 Palestinian lives and injured 356 others, according to the statement.
The health authorities also reported two more deaths due to famine and malnutrition in the past 24 hours, raising the total number of hunger-related deaths in the enclave to 271 people, including 112 children.
Munir al-Bursh, director general of the health ministry, spoke to media on Thursday that the current humanitarian crisis in Gaza has "gone beyond genocide."
In the past 25 days, only 2,870 aid trucks entered Gaza, while the actual demand is as high as 15,000 trucks, according to al-Bursh.
Meanwhile, Israel has banned 430 basic food items from entering Gaza over the past six months, a restriction that is still in place, al-Bursh said.
He also noted that the reported deaths are only limited to cases taken to hospitals with a large number of fatalities yet to be recorded.
Gaza is facing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis, al-Bursh said, urging the international community to take actions.
Meanwhile, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Thursday it had informed medical personnel and international organizations in northern Gaza to start making plans to relocate patients and medical equipment to the south ahead of a planned military offensive to seize the area.
Hospitals in the south of the enclave are making adjustments to their infrastructure to receive the sick and wounded, alongside an increased entry of necessary medical equipment, the IDF said in a statement.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his security cabinet are expected to meet Thursday night to give final approval to the new offensive on Gaza City, according to an Israeli official.
It came a day after Israel's military spokesman Effie Defrin said ground assaults were already under way in Gaza City's Zaytun neighborhood and the nearby town of Jabalia, with more forces set to join the fighting.
According to the military, 60,000 reservists have been called up, with another 20,000 to follow in the coming days. The military said it now holds "operational control" over about 75 percent of Gaza.
The offensive, which has drawn fierce international criticism, was described by Netanyahu as an attempt to "defeat Hamas and conquer Gaza City."
Palestinian death toll in Gaza rises to 62,192
Palestinian death toll in Gaza rises to 62,192
A former television host from Taiwan, Zhai Xuan, has made a pivotal decision to leave mainstream broadcasting in order to create content that provides a better understanding of the Chinese mainland and cross-strait relations.
Zhai, a seasoned television host with over a decade of experience in Taiwan's media landscape, recently addressed an audience at an event in Beijing, where she revealed her complete transition into independent online media.
In her remarks, she articulated her aspiration to bridge what she perceives as a significant information gap between audiences on both sides of the Strait, highlighting her commitment to fostering a deeper understanding and connection through her new endeavors.
"I was really surprised by all the fake news. There were stories saying people on the mainland can't afford tea eggs or that they live in mud houses and in Taiwan, this was the main information many people received," said Zhai.
Zhai said she initially began producing online videos to challenge such perceptions while continuing her work as a television host.
In April 2025, she travelled to the mainland with her father to fulfill her late grandfather's wish to return to his hometown. The trip, which reunited family members separated since 1949, was recorded in a video series titled "Journey to Find Our Roots", drawing attention from viewers in both Taiwan and the mainland.
"Many people in Taiwan told me that after watching, they wanted to apply for a mainland travel permit immediately and go looking for their relatives. Some had long forgotten these things, but after seeing my story, they began thinking about their hometowns and family members they had never met and decided to search for their roots," Zhai shared her story at the event.
By mid-2025, Zhai said she began to feel increasing pressure amid rising political tensions and a tightening atmosphere around cross-Strait exchanges in Taiwan.
After more than 12 years in the industry, Zhai resigned from her position, believing it was the right thing to do.
"At that moment, I felt this was a major issue，not just for me, but for Chinese people on both sides of the Strait. If I backed down then, I wouldn’t be standing on the right side," said Zhai.
Since leaving television, Zhai has broadened her online programming to encompass a range of daily-life topics, including practical guidance on applying for a mainland travel permit and using commonly employed mobile applications, in addition to content that delves into historical memory and cultural connections across the Strait.
As the debate over cross-Strait relations continues in Taiwan, Zhai said she remains committed to her current path.
Former Taiwan TV host bridges cross-Strait divide via online media
