DUBAI, January 29. /TASS/. More than 26,700 Palestinians died in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank since October 7, 2023, and around 70,000 people have been injured, Al Jazeera TV channel reported with reference to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.

According to the statement, since the conflict escalated in October last year, at least 26,422 people have been killed due to Israeli shelling in the Gaza Strip, including more than 10,000 children. At least another 65,087 enclave residents, including 8,663 children, were injured.

In the West Bank, at least 370 Palestinians were killed, including 99 children, and more than 4,250 were injured.

The situation in the Middle East sharply worsened after the infiltration of Hamas militants from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory on October 7 last year, accompanied by the killing of residents of border settlements and the capture of more than 200 hostages, including children, women, and the elderly.