Gaza's Death Toll Rises To 701

The Palestinian death toll from Israel's devastating military offensive against the Gaza Strip rose to 701 on Wednesday following fresh Israeli attacks on the blockaded enclave, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.



"At least 701 people have been killed and 4519 injured in ongoing Israeli attacks," ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qodra told Anadolu Agency.



He said the latest fatalities included three people who were killed by an Israeli strike on a home in the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Yunis.



Al-Qodra added that 81 Gazans were killed in total by Israeli strikes on Wednesday and 526 more others injured



He said Gaza's fatalities since the beginning of the war included at least 170 children, 79 women and 37 elderly people.



Since July 7, Israel has pummeled the Gaza Strip with fierce air and naval bombardments with the ostensible aim of halting Palestinian rocket fire.



Last week, Israel stepped up its offensive to include ground operations, sending thousands of troops into the embattled coastal enclave.



According to official Israeli figures, 31 Israelis – including 29 soldiers – have been killed since hostilities began.



Israel's operation "Protective Edge" is the self-proclaimed Jewish state's third major offensive against the densely-populated strip – home to some 1.8 million Palestinians – within the last six years.



In 2008/9, over 1500 Palestinians were killed – the vast majority of them civilians – during Israel's three-week-long "Operation Cast Lead."



By Mustafa Haboosh



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