The Palestinian death toll in the Gaza Strip has risen to 62,192, with 157,114 others injured since the conflict between Hamas and Israel erupted on October 7, 2023, Gaza's health authorities said in a statement on Thursday. Over the past 24 hours, Israeli attacks have claimed 70 Palestinian lives and injured 356 others, according to the statement. The health authorities also reported two more deaths due to famine and malnutrition in the past 24 hours, raising the total number of hunger-related deaths in the enclave to 271 people, including 112 children. Munir al-Bursh, director general of the health ministry, spoke to media on Thursday that the current humanitarian crisis in Gaza has "gone beyond genocide." In the past 25 days, only 2,870 aid trucks entered Gaza, while the actual demand is as high as 15,000 trucks, according to al-Bursh. Meanwhile, Israel has banned 430 basic food items from entering Gaza over the past six months, a restriction that is still in place, al-Bursh said. He also noted that the reported deaths are only limited to cases taken to hospitals with a large number of fatalities yet to be recorded. Gaza is facing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis, al-Bursh said, urging the international community to take actions. Meanwhile, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Thursday it had informed medical personnel and international organizations in northern Gaza to start making plans to relocate patients and medical equipment to the south ahead of a planned military offensive to seize the area. Hospitals in the south of the enclave are making adjustments to their infrastructure to receive the sick and wounded, alongside an increased entry of necessary medical equipment, the IDF said in a statement. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his security cabinet are expected to meet Thursday night to give final approval to the new offensive on Gaza City, according to an Israeli official. It came a day after Israel's military spokesman Effie Defrin said ground assaults were already under way in Gaza City's Zaytun neighborhood and the nearby town of Jabalia, with more forces set to join the fighting. According to the military, 60,000 reservists have been called up, with another 20,000 to follow in the coming days. The military said it now holds "operational control" over about 75 percent of Gaza. The offensive, which has drawn fierce international criticism, was described by Netanyahu as an attempt to "defeat Hamas and conquer Gaza City." Shotlist: Gaza City, Gaza Strip - Aug 17, 2025: 1. Destroyed buildings, man standing on rubble; Gaza City, Gaza Strip - Aug 11, 2025 2. Debris; bullet holes on wall; 3. Bloodstains on vehicle door; 4. Various of mourners carrying bodies of Al Jazeera journalists killed in Israeli strike; Gaza Strip - Aug 4, 2025 5. Various of wounded people being sent to Al-Awda Hospital, patients being treated; FILE: Gaza City, Gaza Strip - July 22, 2025 6. Various of patients suffering from malnutrition at hospital; Gaza Strip - Aug 9, 2025 7. Various of Palestinians heading for aid distribution sites to pick up food; FILE: Gaza Strip - July 21, 2025 8. Various of Palestinians scrambling to pick up food; FILE: Jabalia, Gaza Strip - June 6, 2025 9. Damaged hospital building; FILE: Gaza City, Gaza Strip - July 5, 2025 10. Various of tents, destroyed neighborhoods, rubble, displaced Palestinians in makeshift tent camp. [Restriction - No access Chinese mainland]