GAZA CITY, Palestine

The Palestinian death toll from the ongoing Israeli military offensive in the Gaza Strip has climbed to 9,061, the Health Ministry in the blockaded enclave said on Thursday.

“The victims include 3,760 children and 2,326 women, while 32,000 other people were injured,” ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra told a news conference in Gaza City.

He said 2,060 people were still trapped under the rubble in Gaza.

“The Israeli attacks left 135 medics dead and 25 ambulances destroyed,” al-Qudra added.

According to the spokesman, Israeli forces have targeted more than 100 health care facilities in Gaza since Oct. 7.

“Some 16 hospitals and 32 primary care centers were forced out of service due to the Israeli assault and fuel shortage,” he added.

The spokesman warned of a “health catastrophe” amid a fuel shortage, which forced the main generator at the Indonesian Hospital in northern Gaza to stop while the main generator at al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City is about to halt.

This week the Israeli army has expanded its air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip, which has been under relentless airstrikes since a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7.

Nearly 10,600 people have been killed in the conflict, including 9,061 Palestinians and more than 1,538 Israelis.

Besides the large number of casualties and massive displacements of people, basic supplies are running low for the 2.3 million residents in Gaza due to the Israeli siege.