Death toll of Palestinians killed by Israeli army in Gaza rises to 493: Health Ministry

By Ahmed Asmar

ANKARA (AA) - The number of Palestinians killed by the Israeli forces in Gaza has risen to 493, the Gaza-based Health Ministry said on Monday amid ongoing fighting.

It also said the number of injured people surged to 2,751.

The Interior Ministry in Gaza said the Israeli army has "intensified its aggression" on Gaza with hundreds of raids.

The ministry confirmed in a statement that the Israeli targets in Gaza were residential buildings and public facilities including mosques.

The Israeli army, for its part, confirmed it had struck over 500 targets in overnight raids on Gaza, which they claimed were targets belonging to the Hamas and Islamic Jihad groups.

The Gaza-based resistance group Hamas launched Operation Al-Aqsa Flood against Israel early Saturday, firing a barrage of rockets. It said the surprise attack was in response to the storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem and increased settler violence.

In retaliation, the Israeli army launched Operation Swords of Iron against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

At least 700 Israelis have been killed and over 2,300 others wounded in the fighting, according to the Israeli Health Ministry.