Israeli military strikes across the Gaza Strip killed at least 61 Palestinians in the space of 24 hours, local medics said on Saturday, as Israeli forces battled Hamas-led fighters in the territory, Reuters reports.

An Israeli air strike on the Halima al-Sa’diyya school compound serving as a shelter for displaced people in the Jabalia urban refugee camp killed at least eight people and wounded 15 others, medics said.

The Israeli military claimed the strike had targeted a Hamas command centre inside the compound. It accused Hamas of repeatedly exploiting civilians and civilian infrastructure for military purposes, an allegation Hamas denies.

Five more people were killed in a strike on a house in Gaza City.

The armed wings of the Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Fatah groups said they had fought Israeli troops in Gaza City, in central areas and in the south with anti-tank rockets and mortars, and in some incidents detonated bombs to target tanks and other army vehicles.