Gaza death toll passes 74,000 as ceasefire crumbles with 1,145 Palestinians killed since truce

From the Newshound archive · first published 27 September 2026 · last updated 28 September 2026.

Gaza's Health Ministry says 74,016 Palestinians have been killed and 175,068 wounded since Hamas-led militants attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people and seizing 251 hostages. Despite a US-brokered ceasefire taking effect last October 10, Israeli drone strikes have continued, with 1,145 Palestinians dying since the truce began. Seven Israeli soldiers have also been killed since the ceasefire, as the peace process remains almost entirely stalled.

Israeli forces now control over half of Gaza, reconstruction has not begun, and Netanyahu refuses to withdraw until Hamas disarms.

A 28-year-old Palestinian, Uday Adli al-Assar, was killed in an Israeli drone strike on the al-Mawasi area west of Khan Younis on Sunday, with seven others wounded in separate strikes.

Israel's main opposition parties, including former prime ministers Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid, pledged to unite against Netanyahu ahead of next month's elections, framing the vote as a referendum on the October 7 security failure.