Dozens of Palestinians were killed in Gaza today in air strikes by Israel, Palestinian media has said, despite the US urging Israel to scale down its military campaign and narrowly target Hamas leaders, Reuters reports.

At least 14 people died from strikes that hit two houses on Old Gaza Street in Jabalia, and dozens were killed in a strike that hit another home in Jabalia, the official Wafa news agency said. The Palestinian agency reported a large number of civilians were trapped under rubble.

Israeli military said its aircraft targeted a building in Jabalia after its forces came under fire and a number of Hamas fighters were identified on the roof. It was unclear if the building was one of those that Wafa reported hit.

The military said its forces killed fighters holed up in two schools in Gaza City, raided apartments in Khan Younis stocked with weapons and uncovered what it described as underground infrastructure used by Hamas.

Reuters could not independently verify the reports.