GAZA, Oct. 28 (Xinhua) -- The Palestinian death toll from ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip has surpassed 43,000, Gaza-based health authorities said in a statement on Monday.

During the past 48 hours, the Israeli military killed 96 people and wounded 277 others, bringing the total death toll to 43,020 and injuries to 101,110 since the Palestinian-Israeli conflict broke out in early October 2023, the health authorities added.

A number of victims were still under the rubble, and ambulance and civil defense teams were unable to reach them, the statement said.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement on Monday that its troops continued targeted raids in central and southern Gaza, killing armed militants and dismantling their infrastructure.

Earlier in the day, the IDF claimed that it apprehended about 100 militants during an operation in Kamal Adwan Hospital in Jabalia of northern Gaza.

The IDF said the operation was carried out following intelligence information indicating that "terrorists had embedded themselves inside the hospital," and aimed to "thwart terrorist activities and apprehend terrorists."

Meanwhile, Hussam Abu Safiya, director of the hospital, urged on social media platform X to protect the hospital and its patients and staff from further Israeli attacks, noting that 31 hospital staffers had been either taken or arrested.