Death toll in Gaza continues to rise UPDATED

The Ministry of Health in Gaza reported that the number of Palestinians killed in the Gaza Strip due to Israeli aggression since October 7 has risen to 29,410, in addition to 69,465 injuries.

In 24 hours, the Israeli occupation committed 9 massacres against families in Gaza, killing 97 and injuring 132, said the ministry, adding that some of the victims remain under the rubble and on the streets, with the occupation preventing the search and rescue missions of the ambulance and civil defence teams from approaching the affected areas. 

In a recent development, Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza reported that 26 people were killed and dozens were injured in an Israeli airstrike on two residential homes in al-Zawayda and al-Nusseirat in the central part of the Gaza Strip early this morning.

The Israeli warplanes targeted a house belonging to the Dalaeis family, west of al-Nusseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, resulting in the death and injury of dozens. The casualties were transferred to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in the nearby city of Deir al-Balah.

In addition, injuries were reported at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital due to the targeting of a house belonging to al-Thabet family in al-Zawayda in the central Gaza Strip.

The Israeli warplanes bombed a house belonging to the Barawi family in Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip, and many family members are still under the rubble, as per our correspondent.

The correspondent added that dozens of martyrs fell victim to the intensive and extensive targeting of several houses in the Rafah area at night. Artillery fire also targeted one of the towers in the city of Hamad, west of Khan Younis.

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The Palestinian death toll from Israel's deadly offensive against the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7 has risen to 29,313, the Health Ministry in Gaza said on February 21.

The Gaza-based ministry made the statement as the deadly Israeli onslaught against Gaza enters its 138th day, Anadolu reports.

It also said that 69,333 other people have also been injured in the ongoing onslaught.

The statement said that in the past 24 hours, the Israeli army committed 11 massacres across the Gaza Strip which left 118 people killed and 163 others injured.

“Many people are still trapped under rubble and on the roads and rescuers can’t reach them,” it added.

Israel has pounded the Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack by Palestinian group Hamas in October, in which nearly 1,200 Israelis are believed to have been killed.

About 85% of Gazans have been displaced by the Israeli onslaught, while all of them are food insecure, according to the UN. Hundreds of thousands of people are living without shelter, and aid trucks entering the territory ⁠number less than half the number before the start of the conflict.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which in an interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.