The Palestinian death toll in the Gaza Strip has risen to 67,074, with 169,430 injured since the conflict between Hamas and Israel erupted on October 7, 2023, Gaza's health authorities said in a statement on Saturday.
Over the past 24 hours, Israeli attacks killed 66 Palestinians and injured 265 others in Gaza, the statement said.
Since Israel resumed full-scale military operations in Gaza on March 18 this year, following a brief ceasefire, 13,486 Palestinians have been killed and 57,389 injured, the authorities said.
Israel continued its strikes on the Gaza Strip on Saturday, despite Hamas' announcement to accept parts of the 20-point ceasefire plan.
According to the Hamas-run government media office in Gaza, Israeli forces launched 93 attacks on densely populated areas in Gaza since wee hours, killing 70 people, with 47 deaths in Gaza City alone.
Hamas condemned the bombardment and massacres in a statement on the day, saying that Israel has been lying about fewer military actions against civilians. It also urged global pressure on Israel to end the two-year genocide in Gaza.
Palestinian death toll in Gaza rises to 67,074
Palestinian death toll in Gaza rises to 67,074
Palestinian death toll in Gaza rises to 67,074
Political figures across Japan have strongly denounced Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's remarks after she hinted at the possibility of military involvement in the Taiwan Strait.
Critics expressed concerns over the legal basis, policy logic, and potential regional security risks stemming from her statements, which they said will exacerbate tensions in Japan-China relations.
Komeito chief Tetsuo Saito said that although Takaichi acknowledged in the Diet that her remarks do not necessarily reflect the government's unified view, they nonetheless undermine the foundation of national policy.
He emphasized that any statement by the prime minister's in the Diet should not violate national policies, adding that the remarks carry serious influence and must be corrected.
Three former prime ministers Shigeru Ishiba, Yoshihiko Noda and Yukio Hatoyama have also criticized Takaichi's comments.
Japanese Communist Party (JCP) Policy Commission Chair Taku Yamazoe said on Friday that to prevent the deterioration of Japan-China relations, Takaichi should retract her erroneous statements.
Mizuho Fukushima, head of the Social Democratic Party, said that Takaichi's remarks were entirely irrational, stressing that Japanese society must work to prevent war and halt this dangerous policy.
Yoichi Iha, former mayor of Ginowan City in Okinawa Prefecture and current senator, warned that Takaichi's statements could lead to significant casualties for Japan's Self-Defense Force. He said that Japan's recent military buildup has been increasingly aligned with U.S. strategic frameworks, and that it is vital for Japan to break free from this trajectory.
Ukeru Magosaki, a former Japanese foreign ministry official said that the Taiwan question is purely China's internal affair, and Japan must honor its political commitments regarding Taiwan.
"In 1972, China and Japan jointly issued a statement that clearly stated Japan recognized and respected the position that 'Taiwan is an inalienable part of the territory of the People's Republic of China.' Regrettably, Takaichi is now ignoring this commitment made by Japan to China, and this is the biggest problem," he said.
Takaichi's remarks on Taiwan draw wide criticism from Japanese political figures
