Live updates | Palestinian refugee camps shelled in central Gaza as Israel seeks to expand offensive

Israel is apparently preparing to expand its ground offensive in Gaza into a third section of the territory. Residents said that Palestinian refugee camps were bombarded in central Gaza. The Health Ministry in Gaza says that more than 20,600 Palestinians have been killed. The ministry says two-thirds of them are women and children, have been killed. The ministry doesn’t differentiate between civilians and combatants among the dead. About 1,200 people were killed after Hamas raided southern Israel on Oct. 7 with around 240 people taken hostage. Israel says it aims to free the more than 100 hostages who remain in captivity in Gaza.