Editor’s note: This article was updated at 4 p.m. CST on Oct. 10 to reflect the most recent figures available.
(NewsNation) — The death toll from the war in Israel has continued to climb since Saturday’s attacks — the conflict now claiming hundreds of Israeli and Palestinian lives.
Thousands more are wounded on both sides of the conflict, as civilians evacuate their homes and seek shelter.
As fighting stretches into its third day, Israel has ordered a “complete siege” on the Gaza Strip and formally declared war Sunday, following the unprecedented and unforeseen attacks carried over the weekend.
Death toll
Nearly 1,600 people have been killed on both sides and thousands more wounded, according to the latest figures from the Associated Press.
By Sunday alone — one day after the initial attacks on Israel — more than 600 Israelis were killed. Confirmed deaths have continued to climb heading into the third day of fighting.
As of Tuesday afternoon, the death toll reflected 900 people reportedly killed in Israel and more than 680 in Gaza, the AP reported.
At least 73 soldiers are believed to have been killed in Israel, while the Gaza Health Ministry has reported 493 people, including 78 children, were killed.
Damage
Images from Israel and Gaza show smoke-filled skies and decimated cityscapes.
The AP is reporting that 187,000 of Gaza’s 2.3 million people have fled their homes and the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees said a school sheltering more than 225 people took a direct hit.
Al Jazeera reported the bombing of an 11-storey building in Gaza, which was home to at least 80 families.
In Israel, thousands were evacuated from more than a dozen towns near Gaza. At least 15 of 24 border communities in southern Israel have been evacuated, the AP reported, citing Israeli Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari. More evacuations are expected.
Israeli airstrikes on Gaza have razed 790 housing units and severely damaged 5,330, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said early Tuesday. Damage to three water and sanitation sites have cut off services to 400,000.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.