Gaza death toll rises as Blinken returns to the Middle East

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken waves as he boards a plane on Sunday, en route to Saudi Arabia (Picture: Mark Schiefelbein/Pool/AP)

The death toll in the Gaza Strip has increased following the latest airstrikes on the Palestinian territory, where the Israeli military is working to root out the leaders of Hamas following the attack on southern Israel almost four months ago.

New figures came as United Nations official has accused Israel’s navy of striking an aid convoy carrying food destined for hard-hit northern Gaza.