Over 72,600 Palestinians Killed in Gaza: Continuing Israeli Attacks Leave 8,000 Bodies Buried Under Rubble

Original article: En dos años y medio de ataques de Israel en Gaza: Cifran en 72. 608 los palestinos asesinados y 8. 000 cuerpos aún bajo los escombros Crimes Against Humanity in Gaza: Two and a Half Years of Israeli Attacks Result in Over 72,000 Palestinian Deaths As the two and a half year mark of the Israeli offensive against the Gaza Strip arrives, the Ministry of Health of the enclave reports that the death toll of Palestinians has reached 72,608.

Health authorities have confirmed that over 8,000 individuals remain buried under rubble, according to official figures updated as of May 3, 2026, as noted by agencies. In the last 48 hours, rescue teams have recovered an additional four bodies along with three others reported the previous day, and have transported 26 injured individuals to hospitals. The Gaza Civil Defense has warned that rescue operations in several areas have been completely suspended due to the extent of destruction or the risk of new attacks.

According to a joint estimate by the United Nations, the World Bank, and the European Union, the rubble in Gaza amounts to 68 million metric tons. The complete removal process is expected to exceed $1. 7 billion, complicated further by the presence of human remains and unexploded munitions.

During the first quarter of 2026, human rights organizations, international rapporteurs, and various countries have denounced these events as crimes against humanity. According to the newspaper Haaretz, more than six months after the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, the bodies of thousands of Palestinians continue to decompose under the rubble, and efforts to clear the debris have stalled, as reported by Haaretz and human rights reports. The Gaza Civil Defense indicated that, as of April 26, 2026, over 8,000 people remain buried.

Rescue teams are receiving calls from families who know exactly where their loved ones are buried, but lack the machinery to reach them, while Israel continues to tighten the blockade and expand the so-called “Yellow Zone.