26,700 Palestinians killed, missing in Israeli war on Gaza, authorities say

The Israeli war on the Gaza Strip has left 26,700 people dead and missing since Oct. 7, the government media office in the enclave said Wednesday.

"Around 20,000 dead people have been admitted to hospitals, including 8,000 children and 6,200 women," the media office said in a statement.

The victims included 310 medics, 35 civil defense members and 97 journalists, the statement said.

The relentless Israeli attacks also destroyed and damaged around 308,000 housing units across the Gaza Strip, the office said.

"At least 114 mosques were destroyed and 200 partially damaged, while four churches were targeted," the statement said.

"The Israeli occupation also destroyed 126 government buildings and partially damaged 283 others, while 90 schools and universities were forced out of action," it added.

Israel has pounded the Gaza Strip since the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas, leaving the territory in ruins with nearly 2 million people displaced within the densely-populated enclave amid shortages of food and clean water.

Nearly 1,200 Israelis are believed to have been killed in the Hamas attack, while more than 130 hostages remain in captivity.