Gaza Strip, ALRAY – The heavy and indiscriminate Israeli bombing of the densely populated Gaza Strip have forced around 20,000 Palestinian citizens to flee their homes and seek refuge in 23 sheltering centres across the besieged enclave, according to the Palestinian Government Media Office (GMO) said.  

Speaking at a press conference held in Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza, Salama Marouf, the GMO's chairman, said that the Israeli occupation army bombed 13 residential buildings, completely destroying 159 housing units and partially damaging 1,210 others – 36 of which were rendered uninhabitable.  

Israeli occupation warplanes struck two mosque and dozens of government and public structures, including 19 interior ministry facilities, added Marouf.

He explained that the Israeli aerial attacks have killed at least 313 Palestinian citizens and injured over 1,990 more since the early hours of Saturday morning.

Meanwhile, the Israeli occupation cut off the supply of power and fuel to the blockaded Gaza Strip, leaving Gazans with less than four hours of electricity a day and aggravating the humanitarian situation in the besieged enclave.

The Israeli occupation also reduced the water flow to the blockaded Gaza Strip, cutting off 50 per cent of the water supply for the central area of the besieged enclave. 

In the meantime, the Palestinian resistance announced Operation Al-Aqsa Flood against the Israeli occupation early Saturday morning, which came in response to the "continued Israeli crimes against the Palestinian people and violations at the Al-Aqsa Mosque."