Israel-Hamas war: 17,700 Palestinians killed and 48,780 wounded in Gaza

Israeli forces unleashed an aerial and ground blitz against Hamas in Gaza after a cross-border rampage.

At least 17,700 Palestinians have been killed and 48,780 wounded in Israeli attacks in Gaza since Oct. 7, Gaza's Health Ministry said on Saturday.

Israeli soldiers operate in the Gaza Strip amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas. ((Reuters))

Ashraf Al-Qidra, spokesman for the Hamas-run ministry, said that in recent hours two paramedics were wounded when Israeli forces targeted an ambulance while it was working to evacuate wounded patients from Gaza's European Hospital.

He denounced what he called Israel's war against hospitals, ambulances and medical teams.

Israel says Hamas operates from within hospitals and has released footage supporting the claim, and it has also targeted in the past ambulances it says were used by Hamas. Hamas has denied this.

Israeli forces unleashed an aerial and ground blitz against Hamas in Gaza after a cross-border rampage by the enclave's ruling militant Islamist group on Oct. 7.