Martyred Palestinians' toll rises to 2,750 as Israel continues to pound Gaza
GAZA, Palestine (AFP) - The toll of Palestinians martyred from Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip has risen to around 2,750 since Hamas's deadly attack on southern Israel last week, the Gaza health ministry said Monday.
Some 9,700 people have also been injured as Israel continued its withering air campaign on targets in the Palestinian coastal enclave, the Hamas-controlled ministry added.
Israel confirms 199 hostages abducted by Hamas
The Israeli military on Monday raised the figure to 199 people confirmed to have been abducted by Hamas to the Gaza Strip in the militants' cross-border attacks which sparked a devastating war. "We have updated the families of 199 hostages," military spokesman Daniel Hagari told a media briefing, revising up an earlier figure of 155 captives.
Israelis and foreigners are among those abducted in the Hamas assault on October 7. "The efforts on the hostages are a top national priority," Hagari said. "The army and Israel are working around the clock to bring them back." At least 1,400 people have been killed in Israel.
Israel denies reports of any 'ceasefire' in Gaza
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office on Monday denied reports of any temporary Gaza ceasefire to allow foreign nationals to flee the enclave to neighbouring Egypt. However, the army pledged to refrain from striking routes within Gaza designated for evacuating people from the enclave's north to the south during a limited time window, from 8:00am to noon (0500 GMT to 0900 GMT).
Media reports had said Israel, Egypt and the United States had agreed the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt would be opened for several hours Monday in a one-off move to allow foreign nationals to flee and aid goods to enter. But Netanyahu's office said in a statement that "there is currently no ceasefire and humanitarian aid in Gaza in return for removing foreigners".
Aid convoys have waited on the Egyptian side but, according to witnesses, had not left the town of El-Arish, about 40 kilometres (25 miles) east of Rafah on Monday.
