GAZA, July 24 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian Health Ministry said early on Thursday that six Palestinians have been killed by Israeli airstrikes in the southern Gaza Strip town of Khan Younis.

The death toll of the Israeli offensive which started on July 8, has mounted to 701, spokesman of the health ministry Ashraf al- Qedra told Xinhua, adding some 4,500 others have been injured.

Israel has lost four civilians and 28 soldiers so far. Regional and international efforts to end the ongoing fighting between Israel and Palestinian factions in Gaza have been going on unabated. However, all endeavors have not yielded any results so far.