Gaza, Dec 24 (IANS): The death toll of Palestinians from Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip has so far risen to 20,258 since October 7, with 53,688 others being injured, the Gaza-based Health Ministry has said in a statement.

The ministry on Saturday said that at least 201 Palestinians were killed and 368 injured in Israeli attacks in the past 24 hours, Xinhua news agency reported.

Medical and security sources told the news agency that at least 18 people were killed, and several others wounded on Saturday following an Israeli airstrike in central Gaza's al-Bureij refugee camp.

Meanwhile, another Israeli airstrike targeting the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza resulted in dozens of deaths and injuries, the sources added.

Israel has been launching a large-scale offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip to retaliate against a Hamas rampage through the southern Israeli border on October 7, during which about 1,200 people were killed and more than 200 were taken hostage.