Palestinian death toll has surpassed 70,000 since the Israel-Hamas war began, Gaza ministry says

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — The Palestinian death toll has surpassed 70,000 since the Israel-Hamas war began, Gaza’s Health Ministry said Saturday, while a hospital said that Israeli fire killed two Palestinian children in the territory's south.

The toll has continued to rise after the latest ceasefire took effect on Oct. 10. Israel still carries out strikes in response to what it has called violations of the truce, and bodies from earlier in the war are being recovered from the rubble.

The Health Ministry says the Palestinian toll is now 70,100. The ministry operates under the Hamas-run government. It is staffed by medical professionals and maintains detailed records viewed as generally reliable by the international community.

Staff at Nasser Hospital, which received the bodies of the children in southern Gaza, said the brothers, ages 8 and 11, died when an Israeli drone struck close to a school sheltering displaced people in the town of Beni Suhaila.

Israel's military said it killed two people who crossed into an Israeli-controlled area, “conducted suspicious activities” and approached troops. The statement didn’t mention children. The military said it also killed another person in a separate but similar incident in the south.

At least 352 Palestinians have been killed across the territory since the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect on Oct. 10, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which doesn't differentiate between civilians and combatants.

Israel says its strikes are aimed at militants violating the truce. Both Israel and Hamas have accused the other of violating the deal. Hamas again urged mediators on Saturday to pressure Israel to stop what it called ceasefire violations in Gaza.

A U.S. blueprint outlining the future of Gaza, which has been devastated by more than two years of war, is still in the early stages. The plan to secure and govern the territory authorizes an international stabilization force to provide security, approves a transitional authority to be overseen by U.S. President Donald Trump and envisions a possible future path to an independent Palestinian state.

The war began with the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, in which around 1,200 people were killed and more than 250 others were taken hostage. Almost all of the hostages or their remains have been returned in ceasefires or other deals.

The remains of two hostages, one Israeli and a Thai national, are still to be returned. Israelis rallied again Saturday night in Tel Aviv for their return.

Israeli forces have pushed forward on a number of other fronts in the region in recent weeks.

Syrian officials said that Israeli forces raided a Syrian village on Friday and opened fire when they were confronted by residents, killing at least 13 people. Israel said it conducted the operation to apprehend suspects of a militant group planning attacks in Israel, and that the militants opened fired at troops, wounding six.

Israel also has escalated strikes in Lebanon, saying it's targeting Hezbollah sites and asserting that the militant group is attempting to rearm.

Hezbollah called on Pope Leo XIV to “reject injustice and aggression,” in reference to the near-daily Israeli strikes, despite a ceasefire that ended the 14-month war between the two sides a year ago. The pope is visiting the region on his first foreign trip.

In the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Israeli soldiers were accused by Palestinians of executing two men on Thursday after footage aired by two Arab television stations showed troops shooting the men after they appeared to surrender. The Israeli military said that it was investigating.

Israeli settler violence has continued to rise in the West Bank. On Saturday, the Palestinian Red Crescent said that 10 Palestinians were injured by beatings and live ammunition during settler attacks in Khallet al-Louza village close to Bethlehem.

Magdy reported from Cairo.

Find more of AP’s Israel-Hamas coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war

Palestinians walk through the destruction left by the Israeli air and ground offensive in Gaza City, Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Laundry hangs between the rubble left by Israeli air and ground offensive in Gaza City, Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

A girl carries bread as she walks past destruction left by Israeli air and ground operations in Gaza City Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

A tent sheltering displaced Palestinians stands atop rubble left by Israeli air and ground operations in Gaza City Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Defending champion Arsenal advanced to the Women’s Champions League semifinals despite a 1-0 loss to Chelsea in a London derby on Wednesday.

With a 3-1 home victory in the first leg of the quarterfinal last week, Arsenal reached the last four on a 3-2 aggregate score and will next face either Wolfsburg or Lyonnes.

Sjoeke Nüsken scored for Chelsea from close rage in the fourth minute of stoppage time at Stamford Bridge.

In the dramatic last few minutes, Veerle Buurman hit the post for Chelsea and Arsenal goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar saved a goal-bound header by Nüsken.

Chelsea coach Sonia Bompastor received a red card in the dying seconds of the match.

The home team was pressuring Arsenal from the start with forward Sam Kerr particularly posing a threat. Kerr missed the first leg because she was playing for Australia at the Asian Cup.

Earlier, Bayern Munich rallied with two late goals in three minutes to beat Manchester United 2-1 and advance to the semifinals on a 5-3 aggregate score.

Glódís Viggósdóttir started the rally in the 81st with a header after a corner kick, and Linda Dallmann fired from inside the area after another corner to send Bayern to its first semifinal since 2021.

Making its debut in the quarterfinals, United traveled to Germany after losing to Bayern Munich 3-2 in the opening leg at Old Trafford.

The visitors dominated the first half with Melvine Malard putting them up 1-0 after 11 minutes. The France forward used a blunder by Bayern goalkeeper Ena Mahmutovic to score into an empty net, and equalize the aggregate score at 3-3.

The German powerhouse applied pressure in the second half, but Manchester’s defense led by American goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce held firm until Viggósdóttir struck.

Bayern will face either Barcelona or Real Madrid in the last four.

The remaining two quarterfinals are Thursday: Barcelona hosts Real Madrid and leads 6-2 from the first leg; Wolfsburg takes a 1-0 lead to Lyon.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Arsenal's Alessia Russo, left, shoots the ball during the Women's Champions League quarterfinal second leg soccer match between Chelsea and Arsenal in London, Wednesday, April 1, 2026. (John Walton/PA via AP)

Chelsea's Veerle Buurman reacts following defeat in the Women's Champions League quarterfinal second leg soccer match between Chelsea and Arsenal in London, Wednesday, April 1, 2026. (John Walton/PA via AP)

Arsenal's Alessia Russo, left, and Chelsea's Ellie Carpenter battle for the ball during the Women's Champions League quarterfinal second leg soccer match between Chelsea and Arsenal in London, Wednesday, April 1, 2026. (John Walton/PA via AP)

Bayern's Linda Dallmann, left, celebrates with Bayern's Giulia Gwinn after she scores her side's second goal during the Women's Champions League quarterfinal second leg soccer match between Bayern Munich and Manchester United in Munich, Germany, Wednesday, April 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Manchester United's goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce leaps for the ball during the Women's Champions League quarterfinal second leg soccer match between Bayern Munich and Manchester United in Munich, Germany, Wednesday, April 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

The ball lands behin Manchester United's goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce bottom left to make it 1-1 during the Women's Champions League quarterfinal second leg soccer match between Bayern Munich and Manchester United in Munich, Germany, Wednesday, April 1, 2026. (Karl-Josef Hildenbrand/dpa via AP)

Manchester United's Melvine Malard, second right, celebrates scoring her side's frst goal during the Women's Champions League quarterfinal second leg soccer match between Bayern Munich and Manchester United in Munich, Germany, Wednesday, April 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Bayern's Glodis Viggosdottir, centre rear, scores her sides first goal during the Women's Champions League quarterfinal second leg soccer match between Bayern Munich and Manchester United in Munich, Germany, Wednesday, April 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Arsenal's Stina Blackstenius, left, celebrates scoring their side's first goal of the game during the Women's Champions League soccer match between Arsenal and Chelsea in London, Tuesday, March 24, 2026. (John Walton/PA via AP)