The Palestinian death toll from Israel's ongoing air offensive against the blockaded Gaza Strip rose to 209 on Wednesday, according to a Palestinian health official.

"Around 1552 people have also been injured, many seriously, by Israeli aerial attacks," Health Ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qodra told Anadolu Agency.

Israeli warplanes have been pounding the Gaza Strip since July 7 with the stated aim of halting rocket fire from the besieged coastal enclave.Unrelenting Israeli airstrikes have completely destroyed 600 housing units and left 1494 others partially damaged, according to Palestinian authorities.

The ongoing military operation - dubbed "Operation Protective Edge" – is Israel's third wide-scale offensive against the blockaded Gaza Strip - home to some 1.8 million Palestinians - within the last six years.