A Palestinian man cries next to the ruins of a house destroyed in Israeli strikes in Khan Younis, in occupied Gaza Strip. / Photo: Reuters

The death toll in Gaza rose to 313, the health ministry in the Palestinian enclave said, as the Israeli air strikes continue for the second consecutive day.

The ministry said another 1,990 people had been wounded in the fighting that began on Saturday after Hamas fired thousands of rockets into Israel in a surprise dawn attack.

Israeli warplanes on Sunday continued to bomb targets in the Gaza Strip a day after Hamas launched Operation Al Aqsa Flood on Saturday. It said the surprise attack was in response to the storming of the Al Aqsa Mosque and increased settler violence.

Israeli fighters also continued to launch raids and destroy homes in various areas of Gaza, an Anadolu news agency correspondent reported.

Israeli aircraft destroyed the headquarters of the Government Labour Directorate in Gaza, affiliated with the Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas, after targeting it with at least one missile, according to the correspondent.

Hundreds of Israelis missing

Meanwhile, a total of 1,864 Israelis have been injured so far in the ongoing military escalation with Palestinian groups in Gaza, including some 345 people being in critical condition, the Israeli Health Ministry said in a statement.

At least 350 Israelis were killed, Israeli Channel 12 reported on Sunday. The Israel Defense Forces on Sunday published the names of 26 soldiers killed during fighting with the Palestinian side on the border with the Gaza Strip over the past day.

At least 750 Israelis have been missing since fighting broke out, Israeli media reported.

“According to an unofficial report, approximately 750 Israelis are currently missing,” the daily Jerusalem Post said on X.

Israeli army acknowledged in a statement on X that soldiers had been captured and taken hostage in Gaza.

TRT World