UN chief decries ‘heartbreaking’ Gaza death toll as figure surpasses 25,000

Territory’s health ministry say most casualties are women and children, and that thousands more may lie under rubble

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Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza has killed 25,000 Palestinians, the health ministry in the territory has announced, as the UN chief described the scale of civilian killings as “heartbreaking and utterly unacceptable”.

Most of the casualties are women and children, the ministry said, and thousands more bodies are likely to remain uncounted under rubble across Gaza.