Over 460 Palestinians killed in Gaza since ceasefire began

Monday 19 January 2026 - 07:50

By: Dakir Madiha

Over 460 Palestinians killed in Gaza since ceasefire began

More than 460 Palestinians have lost their lives and over 1,200 others suffered injuries in Gaza since the supposed ceasefire took effect on October 10, 2025, according to Palestinian health officials. Israeli forces have carried out near-daily attacks across the besieged territory, even as the U.S.-brokered truce advances into its second phase.

On Sunday, Israeli military actions wounded numerous civilians in multiple locations throughout Gaza. Medical sources reported injuries from an Israeli drone strike in the Zeitoun neighborhood south of Gaza City, while two people, including a young girl, were hurt by Israeli gunfire in al-Mawasi west of Khan Younis. At al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in central Gaza, doctors treated a Palestinian critically injured in the head by Israeli forces in Deir el-Balah.

Children have borne the heaviest toll. UNICEF spokesperson James Elder stated on January 13 that more than 100 children about one per day have been killed in Gaza since the ceasefire started. "Life in Gaza remains suffocating. Survival is conditional. While bombings and shootings have slowed during the ceasefire, they have not stopped," Elder said during a UN briefing from Gaza. The deaths include 60 boys and 40 girls, mostly from Israeli military operations involving airstrikes, drone attacks, tank fire, and quadcopter strikes. UNICEF warned that the true figure is likely higher, as numbers reflect only well-documented cases.

Harsh winter conditions have intensified the crisis. Palestinian authorities report 24 deaths from extreme cold exposure since the conflict began in October 2023, including 21 children, with seven child deaths this winter alone. Recent storms destroyed around 7,000 tents sheltering displaced families.

Many fatalities occurred near the so-called "yellow line," the boundary to which Israeli forces withdrew under the ceasefire agreement. Gaza's Health Ministry recorded at least 77 of 447 deaths up to mid-January near this line, including 62 people who crossed it. The line remains unmarked in many areas, and Palestinians say it extends deeper into Gaza than maps indicate. "We stay away from the barrels. No one dares approach them," said Ahmed Abu Jahal, a Gaza City resident, noting markers placed less than 100 meters from his home instead of the 500 meters shown on Israeli military maps.

Humanitarian access remains severely limited. Israel has barred 37 international aid groups from operating in Gaza, suspending licenses as of January 1, 2026, with operations required to halt by March. Affected organizations include Médecins Sans Frontières, World Vision International, and Oxfam. The Rafah border crossing, vital for aid delivery and medical evacuations to Egypt, stays closed despite ceasefire terms. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated it would reopen only after recovering the body of the last hostage.

An Al Jazeera analysis found Israel violated the ceasefire at least 1,193 times from October 10, 2025, to January 9, 2026, with attacks on 86 of 101 days. The overall Palestinian death toll since October 7, 2023, now exceeds 71,000, with more than 171,000 wounded.