JERUSALEM, July 29 (Xinhua) -- The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement on Tuesday that 52 aid packages were airdropped earlier in the day across the Gaza Strip.

According to the statement, the packages contained food supplies intended for residents in both southern and northern Gaza, as part of broader efforts to enhance the humanitarian response in the enclave.

The operation was conducted in coordination with the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, and Egypt, it said.

The IDF reported that its troops continued to operate in southern Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, targeting weapons storage locations, while the Air Force struck dozens of targets across the strip over the past day.

Meanwhile, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said that Israel should be responsible for security in Gaza.

Speaking at an IDF recruitment base in central Israel, Katz added that "the IDF needs to be around and inside Gaza to protect the Israeli communities close to the Strip."

The Palestinian death toll from ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip has surpassed 60,000, Gaza's health authorities said in a statement on Tuesday.

During the past 24 hours, the Israeli military killed 112 people and wounded 637 others, bringing the total death toll to 60,034 and injuries to 145,870 since the Palestinian-Israeli conflict broke out in early October 2023, it added. ■