Israeli airstrikes destroyed 56 mosques in Gaza: Media Office
A Palestinian man inspects the rubble of the destroyed Al-Sheikh Zayed mosque following Israeli airstrikes in the northern Gaza Strip, Palestine, Nov. 4, 2023. (EPA Photo)


At least 56 mosques and three churches were razed to the ground while 192 mosques were partially damaged in the ongoing Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip, the besieged territory's Media Office confirmed late Monday.

"Due to the Israeli aggression, 192 mosques have been damaged, including 56 mosques completely destroyed, in addition to targeting three churches," spokesman Salama Marouf said at a press conference in Gaza City.

He added that 192 medical and health care facilities were also damaged while 32 ambulances were destroyed.

At least 113 health care institutions suffered significant damages while 16 hospitals and 32 health centers were knocked out of service, the media office said.

Some 222,000 residential units have also been affected, with 10,000 buildings completely demolished and 40,000 residential units destroyed by the occupation, Marouf noted.

He added that the Israeli occupation destroyed 222 schools, inflicting various types of damage due to continuous shelling, and 60 schools have been taken out of service, while since the beginning of the aggression, 88 government buildings have been destroyed.