Jerusalem, Aug 26 (IANS): The Israeli Defense Ministry said on Monday that since the beginning of its military operations in Gaza, the country has received more than 50,000 tonnes of military equipment and ammunition.

"The equipment procured and transported includes armoured vehicles, munitions, ammunition, personal protection gear, and medical equipment," the ministry said.

The military transports have been "crucial for sustaining the Israel Defense Forces' operational capabilities during the ongoing war" in the Gaza Strip and against Hezbollah along the Israel-Lebanon border, it added, Xinhua news agency reported.

The ministry did not specify from which countries the arms were purchased, though Israeli government officials had previously said that the majority of its weapons and ammunition were procured from the United States and Europe.

Israel launched a large-scale offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip to retaliate against a Hamas rampage through the southern Israeli border on October 7, 2023, during which about 1,200 people were killed and about 250 others taken hostage.

The Palestinian death toll from ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip has risen to more than 40,400, according to Gaza-based health authorities.