Gaza death toll tops 66,000 as Israeli tanks thrust deeper

The death toll in the Israel-Hamas war has topped 66,000 Palestinians, Gaza's Health Ministry said on Sunday.

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Local hospitals in central Gaza said at least 10 people people were killed when at least two strikes hit homes in the Nuseirat refugee camp.

Gaza's Health Ministry said in its daily report the death toll has climbed to 66,005, with a further 168,162 wounded since the war started. Among the dead were 79 who were brought to hospitals in the past 24 hours, it said.

The ministry, part of the Hamas-run administration, has said women and children make up around half the dead. Its figures are seen as a reliable estimate by the UN and many independent experts.

Residents reported hearing sounds of explosions overnight across the city, likely coming from the demolition of buildings through the detonation of explosive-laden vehicles and robots.

"They were nonstop," Sayed Baker, a Palestinian who shelters close to a Shifa hospital, said of the explosions.

Israeli tanks moved deeper into Gaza City's residential districts on Sunday, as local health authorities said they have been unable to respond to dozens of desperate calls, expressing concern about the fate of residents in the targeted areas.