Gaza civil defense says 16 killed in Israel strikes

Gaza's civil defense agency said Israeli strikes killed 16 people on Friday across the territory, where Israel has ramped up its military offensive in recent days.

The toll from "Israeli strikes in various areas across the Gaza Strip since midnight" totals 16 dead, agency official Mohammed al-Mughayyir told AFP.

The official said there were also dozens of people wounded in the strikes, which mainly hit the center and south of the territory.

The Israeli army said that over the past day, its forces had attacked "military compounds, weapons storage facilities and sniper posts" in Gaza.

"In addition, the (air force) struck over 75 terror targets throughout the Gaza Strip," it added.

Israel resumed major operations in Gaza on March 18, ending a two-month ceasefire.

On Thursday, Gaza's health ministry said at least 3,613 people had been killed in the territory since then, taking the war's overall toll to 53,762, mostly civilians.

Hamas's October 2023 attack that triggered the war resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.

Fighters also took 251 hostages, 57 of whom remain in Gaza including 34 the Israeli military says are dead.