Gaza death toll surpasses 12,000 amid relentless Israeli attacks

By Ikram Kouachi

The Palestinian death toll from an ongoing Israeli aggression in the Gaza Strip has surged past 12,000, the government media office in the besieged enclave said on Friday.

“The victims include more than 5,000 children and 3,300 women, while 30,000 others have been injured,” the media office said in a statement.

Some 3,750 other people remain unaccounted for, including 1,800 children, according to the statement.

“The Israeli occupation has committed 1,270 massacres,” the media office said.

“A total of 200 medics, 22 civil defense personnel and 51 journalists were also killed in the assaults,” it added.

“The Israeli aggression has forced 25 hospitals and 52 health care centers out of service, while 55 ambulances were targeted by Israeli forces,” the statement said.

Israel has launched relentless air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7.

Thousands of buildings, including hospitals, mosques and churches, have been damaged or destroyed in the Israeli offensive.

The Israeli death toll, meanwhile, stands at 1,200, according to official figures.