The UN emphasised that the death toll in the Gaza Strip “is an approximation,” and the number may be “an undercount”, Anadolu reports.

Asked about UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk’s statement on the death toll officially exceeding 40,000, UN spokesman Farhan Haq told reporters at a news conference that Secretary-General Antonio Guterres shares Turk’s concerns.

“Given the large number and disturbing number of people who remain unaccounted for, who may be trapped or dead under the rubble, this number may, if anything, be an undercount.”

Saying the number of dead in Gaza likely surpassed the 40,000 mark “probably weeks or months ago,” Haq said: “From the secretary-general’s standpoint, this is yet another reason why we need to have a cease fire.”