Death toll in Gaza rises to 7,950

 

The father of a young boy from the al-Aqad family, reacts as he touches the body of his child, killed in an Israeli strike on Khan Younis, southern Gaza, before his burial on October 29. Mahmud Hams/AFP/Getty Images

The death toll in Gaza has risen to 7,960, the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Ramallah announced on Sunday, drawing the data from sources in the Hamas-controlled enclave.

The enclave has been pummelled by Israeli strikes since October 7, which has also resulted in over 20,000 injured, the ministry said. 

Nearly three-quarters -- 73% -- of those killed are from vulnerable populations, including children, women, and elderly individuals, according to the ministry report. 

The ministry added that the total number of dead includes 116 medical personnel. Additionally, 24 hospitals, which together have a capacity of 2,000 beds, have been instructed to evacuate in the northern part of Gaza. 

The updated figures come as Israel said the next stage of its war with Hamas had begun after it expanded its ground operations in the enclave. "The war inside Gaza is going to be long," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Saturday.