Gaza’s health ministry has said 15,523 people have died in the territory since the start of Israel’s military offensive, AFP reports.

Seventy per cent of the Palestinians killed were women and children, ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra said, adding that 41,316 people were wounded.

“During the past hours, only 316 dead and 664 wounded were removed from the rubble and taken to hospitals, but many others are still under the rubble,” Qudra said.