Continuous rise in the number of dead and missing persons in Gaza, and the Red Cross is ready for prisoner exchange.

Israel continued its bombardment of facilities and residential neighborhoods in Gaza today, Thursday. While authorities in the sector provided new figures on the number of martyrs and missing persons, the Red Cross announced its readiness to oversee the anticipated prisoner exchange between the occupation and Hamas.

Israel launched intense airstrikes on the Gaza Strip today, Monday, despite U.S. President Donald Trump's call for it to halt the bombardment to create conditions for a settlement with Hamas.

Al Jazeera's correspondent reported that three Israeli airstrikes targeted the center and north of Khan Younis city in southern Gaza. The correspondent also reported heavy Israeli airstrikes targeting the Al-Nasr neighborhood and Tal al-Hawa, coinciding with artillery shelling on Al-Jalaa Street in Gaza City.

The Gaza Health Ministry announced the martyrdom of 21 Palestinians and the injury of 96 others from Israeli occupation gunfire in the past 24 hours.

Official statistics indicated that the government media office in Gaza stated that the number of martyrs and missing persons since October 7, 2023, has reached approximately 73,731 Palestinians, including more than 64,300 martyrs whose bodies have reached hospitals, while more than 9,500 remain missing under the rubble or are of unknown fate.

The office added in a statement that since dawn on Saturday until the end of Sunday, the occupation carried out more than 131 air and artillery strikes targeting densely populated areas of civilians and displaced persons in various governorates of the sector, committing clear massacres.

Ismail al-Thawabteh, the office director, told Al Jazeera Net that initial estimates of direct losses in vital sectors exceeded $60 billion, with the most significant losses in the housing sector estimated at $28 billion.

As a neutral mediator, the International Committee of the Red Cross announced its readiness to act as a neutral party to assist in the return of Israeli and Palestinian prisoners to their families.

Committee President Mirjana Spoljaric stated in a statement that they are also prepared to deliver aid to Gaza and distribute it safely to civilians who are in dire need of it.

She added that a permanent ceasefire is crucial to save lives and break the cycle of death and destruction.

In this context, the spokesperson for the International Committee of the Red Cross in Gaza told Al Jazeera that they were forced to temporarily suspend their office operations in Gaza City.

He added that there are no essential supplies for life in the Gaza Strip... There is an urgent need to provide shelter materials with the approach of winter.

Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch has called on countries to take action to stop the atrocities against civilians in Gaza.