Israel’s military has accepted that about 70,000 Palestinians have died in Gaza due to Israeli attacks since October 2023. This is the first official public estimate by Israel and marks a U-turn after years of rejecting Palestinian health data as inaccurate or propaganda. The figure excludes those missing. Palestinian health authorities say over 71,660 have died, including about 10,000 buried in rubble. Previously, Israel only released numbers of militants killed, citing 22,000. This suggests most of the dead are civilians, raising serious questions about the conflict’s human cost. The Israeli newspaper Haaretz questioned the government and army’s credibility. Israeli officials admitted the death toll was "largely accurate" but are still reviewing civilian versus militant numbers. A military spokesperson did not confirm the exact figure. Israeli media gave little initial attention, with some outlets quoting the new number quietly. Meanwhile, Israel announced it will open the Rafah crossing with Egypt on Sunday for the first time since May 2024, allowing Palestinians who left Gaza to apply to return. The crossing, supervised by the EU, will only allow pedestrians, so it won’t ease the shortage of food, medicine, or other aid in Gaza. This step is linked to ongoing US efforts to advance a ceasefire plan. The move signals a moderately softened stance amid intense conflict and global criticism.