Gaza's Health Ministry reported on November 8, 2025, that the Palestinian death toll from the Israel-Hamas war has surpassed 69,000, reaching 69,169 since the conflict began with Hamas's October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. The increase stems from ongoing recoveries of bodies from rubble in the devastated enclave since a U.S.-brokered ceasefire took effect on October 10, identifications of previously unidentified remains, and fatalities from post-truce incidents, which Israel attributes to operations against remaining militants. Amid these updates, Israel and Hamas exchanged remains under the fragile truce: militants returned the body of Israeli hostage Lior Rudaeff, a 61-year-old kibbutz resident killed defending his community, prompting Israel to hand over 15 Palestinian bodies to Nasser Hospital.

The ceasefire's initial phase mandates Hamas return all hostage remains swiftly, with Israel reciprocating 15 Palestinian bodies per Israeli one; since October 10, 23 hostage remains have been released, leaving five, while Israel has returned 300 Palestinian bodies, many unidentified due to limited DNA access. The Health Ministry, run by Hamas but staffed by medical professionals and deemed generally reliable by the UN, WHO, and independent experts for detailed records in past conflicts, added 284 verified deaths from October 31 to November 7, plus 10 more in recent days—nine from rubble and one new killing—bringing post-ceasefire deaths to 241. Thousands remain missing under rubble, with recovery hampered by destruction and resource shortages, potentially undercounting the toll.

Separately, violence escalated in the occupied West Bank during the olive harvest, with Israeli settlers attacking Palestinian farmers, activists, medics, and journalists in Beita and Burin near Nablus, injuring at least 11-15 people, including Reuters staff beaten with clubs and rocks. The UN reported over 260 settler attacks in October alone—the highest since tracking began in 2006—averaging eight daily, often targeting harvesters aided by international volunteers. Rights groups note rare arrests for such violence, underscoring tensions amid the Gaza truce.

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The war, triggered by Hamas's attack killing 1,200 and taking 251 hostages, has devastated Gaza, with the ceasefire holding tenuously as body exchanges continue and aid flows increase, though violations persist on both sides. As identifications proceed with limited tools, the rising toll highlights the conflict's enduring human cost, while West Bank incidents reflect broader regional frictions during a period meant for de-escalation.

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