GAZA, May 5 (Xinhua) -- More than 16,000 children have been killed in the Gaza Strip since the onset of Israel's military offensive on Oct. 7, 2023, at a rate of one child every 40 minutes, Gaza-based health authorities reported on Monday.

Marwan al-Hams, director of field hospitals with Gaza's health authorities, said the toll included 16,278 children, among them 908 infants and 311 newborns who died after birth. Al-Hams made the statement during a press briefing at the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis, southern Gaza.

He highlighted that the humanitarian situation had significantly worsened since Israel closed the crossings in early March, disrupting essential healthcare services. This has left thousands of children and pregnant women without access to medical care, further exacerbating the crisis.

Many children are surviving on just one incomplete meal a day, with limited access to clean drinking water and proper nutrition, due to the Israeli targeting of infrastructure and the denial of aid, he said.

He also noted that thousands of children are living in displacement centers without basic necessities, while pregnant women face significant challenges in reaching hospitals.

Israel halted the entry of goods and supplies into Gaza on March 2, following the expiration of the first phase of a January ceasefire agreement with Hamas. The second phase has yet to materialize, as the parties remain at an impasse.

In a separate development, Gaza's Civil Defense spokesperson Mahmoud Basal reported that at least 54 Palestinians were killed in Israeli airstrikes on Monday, which targeted homes, vehicles, and gatherings across various parts of Gaza.

More than 52,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes since October 2023, including about 2,500 who have died since Israel resumed its attacks on Gaza on March 18, marking the end of a two-month ceasefire.