Gaza deaths surge as Israel says war to last 'many more months'

The Hamas-run Gaza Strip's health ministry said Wednesday that the death toll from the war with Israel had surged above 21,000 - about two thirds of them are women and children.

Israel again pounded Gaza with air strikes and shelling after its armed forces chief warned the war raging with Hamas will last "many more months". On Wednesday, the head of the World Health Organization warned that the population of Gaza is in "grave peril", citing acute hunger and desperation throughout the war-torn Palestinian territory.