The Israeli occupation forces continue their bombardment on the Gaza Strip for the sixteenth day in a row, as the death toll rose to 4,741 killed, including 1,873 children and 1,023 women, while 50% of the residential units in the Strip were damaged as a result of the ongoing Israeli aggression.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Health in Gaza said, on Sunday, October 22, 2023, in a press conference, that the number of victims of the Israeli aggression had risen to 4,741 martyrs, including 1,873 children and 1,023 women, in addition to 15,898 injured, according to what was reported by Anadolu Agency.

The spokesman for the Ministry of Health in Gaza also explained that the Israeli occupation forces killed 266 Palestinians during the last 24 hours, including 117 children, and pointed out that the occupation commits a massacre every hour in the Gaza Strip, causing the total martyrdom of hundreds of families since the beginning of the aggression, on 7 This October.

For its part, the government media office in Gaza said, on Sunday, in a statement, that 50% of the housing units in the Strip were completely or partially damaged as a result of the Israeli aggression, which targeted civilian residential facilities, towers, mosques and hospitals within two weeks of the aggression.

Earlier on Sunday, the Israeli occupation forces announced that they were intensifying their air attacks on the Gaza Strip, with the aim of “reducing the threats that may face our forces, in preparation for the next phase of the war,” in reference to a ground war.

Noting the continued intensification of attacks, occupation forces spokesman Daniel Hagari said in a press conference: “We are not stopping our attacks on Gaza.” He added: "We are working to increase attacks in Gaza to reduce the threats that our forces may face in preparation for the next phase of the war."

Hagari also continued: “We will go to the next stage under the best conditions for the Israeli army, and in accordance with the decision of the political level.”

Meanwhile, the Israeli occupation has been threatening for days to launch a ground operation in Gaza, after summoning 360,000 reserve soldiers and mobilizing hundreds of tanks and military vehicles on the borders of the Strip.

While Hagari renewed his call on the Palestinians in northern Gaza to head to the southern Strip. He said: "In the attacks during the night hours, we killed dozens of militants in Gaza City and its suburbs, and the deputy commander of the Hamas rocket launching system was killed," without mentioning his name.