Palestinian death toll rises to 19,453 in Gaza: ministry

GAZA  -- The death toll of Palestinians has risen to 19,453 in the Gaza Strip since the outbreak of the Hamas-Israel conflict on Oct 7, the Hamas-run health ministry said Monday.

Ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qedra said during a press conference in the southern Gaza Strip that 52,286 Palestinians were wounded by Israel's air and artillery attacks since the conflict began.

He added that there was an urgent need to evacuate 5,000 wounded people from the Gaza Strip so that they can receive treatment outside the Palestinian enclave.

The spokesman said the health and humanitarian situation in the shelters in the southern Gaza Strip is "catastrophic due to the spread of diseases and the lack of health care."

He called on international institutions to provide the Gaza Strip with medicines and fuel in order to resume the operation of hospitals, especially those in the northern Gaza Strip, which have suspended their services due to Israel's attacks and siege.