• Israeli forces kill two more as truce enters next phase
• 15 Palestinian bodies transferred from Israel
• Pakistan condemns Israeli demolition of UN compound

CAIRO: The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) have accepted the estimate that approximately 71,000 Palestinians were killed during its war on Gaza, Israeli outlet Haaretz reported.

Prior to this, Israel had never officially accepted the tally and described the numbers issued by Gaza’s Health Ministry as “misleading and unreliable”, even though the UN considered them reliable.

The IDF noted the casualty count excludes missing persons likely buried under rubble and only count those killed by military fire, excluding deaths from starvation or disease due to the conflict. Over 90 per cent of casualties have been identified by name and ID number.

According to the Gaza Health Ministry, 71,667 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since Oct 7, 2023.

2 killed; prisoners swapped

Meanwhile on Thursday, Israeli forces killed at least two Palestinians in Gaza, even as Hamas and Israel move to implement the second phase of a US-brokered peace plan.

Medics said two men were killed by Israeli fire in eastern Khan Younis, in an area adjacent to where the army operates.

According to the Gaza health ministry, Israeli airstrikes, tank shelling and gunfire have killed at least 490 people since the truce took effect in October. Israel said four soldiers have been killed by Palestinian groups in the coastal territory over the same period.

By advancing to phase two, the US and mediator partners Egypt and Qatar must confront the contentious issue of Hamas disarmament, which the group has long rejected.

Separately, the Red Cross said it facilitated the transfer of 15 Palestinian bodies to the Gaza Strip on Thursday after the last prisoner held in the territory was returned to Israel earlier this week.

Palestinian statehood

Meanwhile, Pakistan reaffirmed its demand for a credible, time-bound path to Palestinian statehood on Wednesday.

Speaking at a Security Council open debate, Pakistan’s Permanent Repres­entative to the United Nations Asim Iftikhar Ahmad emphasised that the unresolved question of sovereignty lies at the heart of Middle East instability.

Mr Ahmad strongly condemned Israeli actions against UN facilities, including the recent demolition of a UN compound in Sheikh Jarrah, stressing that such acts undermine stabilisation efforts.

He urged an immediate end to illegal settlement activity and attempts to alter the demographic, legal or historical character of the occupied territory.

Published in Dawn, January 30th, 2026