Gaza, Aug 20 (IANS): At least 15 Palestinians were killed in Israeli airstrikes targeting two gatherings in Gaza City and Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, Palestinian sources said.

Palestinian security sources told Xinhua on Monday that Israeli aircraft struck a gathering of Palestinians in the Al-Shati refugee camp west of Gaza City.

Medical sources said that the airstrike killed nine people and left several others injured. All the injured were transferred to the hospital.

In addition, six people were killed in an Israeli strike on a gathering of Palestinians near an internet distribution point west of Khan Younis, according to medical sources.

Meanwhile, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) reported on Monday that at least 289 relief workers, including 207 UNRWA staff members, have been killed in the Gaza Strip, along with 885 health workers.

Many of the deceased lost their lives while providing humanitarian assistance or medical care to the injured and sick, UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini wrote on social media platform X.

He also mentioned that over 160 journalists and media, workers had been killed while covering the humanitarian impact of the conflict and ongoing violations of international humanitarian law.

Israel launched a large-scale offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip to retaliate against a Hamas rampage through the southern Israeli border on October 7, 2023, during which about 1,200 people were killed and about 250 were taken hostage.