Palestinian health officials said Israeli airstrikes killed at least 78 people on Christmas Eve in one of the Gaza Strip’s deadliest nights, Reuters reports.

Israeli strikes that began hours before midnight persisted into Christmas Day today. Residents and Palestinian media said Israel stepped up air and ground shelling against al-Bureij in central Gaza.

At least 70 people were killed in an Israeli airstrike targeting Maghazi in central Gaza, health ministry spokesperson Ashraf Al-Qidra said, adding that many were women and children.

The Israeli army said it was reviewing the report of a Maghazi incident and was committed to minimising harm to civilians. Hamas denies the Israeli charge that it operates in densely populated areas or uses civilians as human shields.

Medics said a separate Israeli airstrike in Khan Younis in southern Gaza killed eight Palestinians.