Israel is making plans for a potential major ground offensive in Gaza that would involve sending tens of thousands of troops into combat to clear and occupy large swaths of the enclave, an Israeli official and a second source familiar with the matter said.

Israel’s political and military leaders are considering plans for a fresh ground campaign that could include a military occupation of Gaza for months or more.

More than 50,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s military campaign in the Gaza Strip, the enclave’s Health Ministry said Sunday - a grim indicator of the conflict’s continued lethality less than a week since Israel shattered a nearly two-month-old ceasefire,

Israeli strikes across the Gaza Strip killed at least 25 Palestinians, including several women and children, according to three hospitals Monday.

Israel's military struck the largest hospital in southern Gaza on Sunday night, killing one person, wounding others and causing a large fire, the territory's Health Ministry said.

Israel ended the existing ceasefire last week by launching a surprise wave of airstrikes that killed hundreds of Palestinians. That came after Hamas rejected Israeli-backed proposals to change the agreement in order to free more hostages before talks on a lasting ceasefire, which were supposed to begin in early February.