More than fifty Palestinians were killed and 165 others were injured in the past one day as a result of Israeli forces' artillery and aerial shelling in various areas of the besieged Gaza Strip, according to the health ministry of this Palestinian enclave.

The ministry added that in total, "41,689 Arabs were killed, 96,625 were wounded in the Gaza Strip" from the beginning of the Israeli military operation until Wednesday inclusive.

Earlier, Al-Qahira Al-Ikhbariya television had reported that 77 Palestinians were killed in that area within a few hours of the beginning of the new day.