The United States has voiced concern about a “horrifying” Israeli strike in Gaza that killed a large number of children and said it was asking its ally for answers, AFP reports.

“We are deeply concerned by the loss of civilian life in this incident. This was a horrifying incident with a horrifying result,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters, pointing to “reports of two dozen children killed” in the bombing that destroyed the five-story block in Beit Lahia.

“We have reached out to the government of Israel to ask what happened here,” Miller said.

The “tragic cost to civilians” in the latest strike “is another reminder of why we need to see into this war”. Miller said.

“We are a year into the government of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza and Israel has decimated Hamas’s military capabilities, it has decimated Hamas leadership, it has through its military action ensured that Hamas does not have the ability to repeat the attacks of October 7,” Miller said.