Palestinian death toll from Israeli attacks on Gaza nears 32,000: Ministry

Gaza, March 22 (IANS) The death toll from ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip has risen to 31,988, the Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza said.

The Ministry said on Thursday in a statement that the Israeli army killed 65 Palestinians and wounded 92 others during the past 24 hours, bringing the total death toll to 31,988 and injuries to 74,188 since the Israel-Hamas conflict broke out on October 7, 2023, Xinhua news agency reported.

This comes as the Israeli army continues its operations in the Shifa hospital in Gaza city for the fourth day, during which about 600 Palestinians have been apprehended, and more than 140 others have been killed, the Israeli army said in a statement on Thursday, claiming all of them are militants.

"Several weapons and intelligence documents" were discovered during searches in the hospital, according to the statement.

Israel has been launching a large-scale offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip to retaliate against a Hamas rampage through the southern Israeli border on October 7, 2023, during which about 1,200 people were killed and more than 200 were taken hostage.