At least 22 people have been killed in the attack launched by Hamas, Israeli emergency service Magen David Adom (MDA) said on Saturday.

The Israeli Health Ministry later said 545 people have been hospitalized since the start of the attack, which began at around 6:30 a.m. local time on Saturday morning, according to The Times of Israel.

Over 70 people were seriously injured, a spokesperson for the MDA said, adding that the death toll is expected to rise.

(With input from agencies)