Death toll in Gaza from Israel-Hamas war rises above 44,000

Palestinians mourn over relatives killed in an Israeli bombardment in Nuseirat, central Gaza (Abdel Kareem Hana/AP)

The death toll in the Gaza Strip from the 13-month-old war between Israel and Hamas has surpassed 44,000, health officials said.

The Gaza Health Ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its count but it has said that more than half of the fatalities are women and children. The Israeli military says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence.