UPDATE - Gaza death toll from Israeli attacks nears 15,900

UPDATES WITH MORE DETAILS

By Abdel Salam Fayez

GAZA CITY, Palestine (AA) - The Palestinian death toll from a massive Israeli military campaign in the Gaza Strip has soared to 15,899, the Health Ministry in the blockaded enclave said Monday.

“More than 42,000 other people were injured in the assault,” ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra told a press conference.

He said that "70% of the victims of the Israeli aggression on Gaza are women and children."

"The occupation (forces) completely destroyed 56 health centers (in Gaza) and arrested 35 medical staff," al-Qudra added.

He called on the UN and the World Health Organization to pressure Israeli authorities to release medical staff from jails.

"We call for the protection of hospitals, medical and humanitarian staff, and for securing safe corridors that allow the entry of medical supplies and fuel, as well as for the transfer of the injured people (outside Gaza for medical treatment)," al-Qudra said.

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

The Israeli death toll in the Hamas attack stood at 1,200, according to official figures.

* Ahmed Asmar contributed to this report from Ankara