Gaza, Oct 17 (IANS): The Palestinian Interior Ministry on Tuesday claimed that at least 49 people were killed in Israeli airstrikes in south Gaza.

While 21 people were killed in an airstrike on Monday night in Khan Younis, the remaining 28 died when a house was hit in the Rafah area, near the border crossing with Egypt, the BBC quoted the Ministry as saying.

The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said women and children were among the 28 killed at the "family house" in Rafah.

Regarding the strikes, Israel Defense Forces spokesman Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus told CNN on Tuesday morning that he was “not aware of any strikes specifically in those areas but they could have happened”.

“The combat operations continue. We continue to hunt Hamas operatives to attempt to degrade their military capabilities,” Conricus said.

He said the hunt for Hamas targets is part of “the war that has been forced upon us” and Israel will continue military operations “according to the law of armed conflict and of course to minimise civilian casualties".

Meanwhile, the death toll in Gaza since the raging conflict erupted on October 7 stood at 2,778, with 9,938 injured persons.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health said that 47 entire families have been killed, amounting to about 500 people.

According to official Israeli sources, at least 1,300 Israelis and foreign nationals have been killed in the Jewish nation, while 4,121 others were injured.