Hamas: More than 150 people killed in past 24 hours in Gaza

In the last 24 hours, 153 people have been killed in Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip, according to the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry.

That brought the number of Palestinians killed since the war began to more than 53,200, the ministry said. The figures, which cannot be verified at present, do not distinguish between combatants and civilians.

The latest death toll comes as Israel intensifies its attacks on Gaza. The Israeli military said an offensive had been launched, codenamed Gideon’s Chariots, to pursue Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s stated aim of eliminating Hamas and securing the release of the remaining hostages.