Israeli military strikes have killed at least 70 Palestinians across the Gaza Strip, local health authorities said, in an intensification of the bombardment as US President Donald Trump visits the Middle East, Reuters reports.

Medics said most of the dead, including women and children, were killed in a barrage of Israeli airstrikes on houses in the Jabalia area of northern Gaza.

“Some victims are still on the road and under the rubble where rescue and civil emergency teams can’t reach [them],” the health ministry statement said.

Reuters television footage showed residents returning to the ruins of their homes. Some sifted through the remains of walls and furniture, looking for documents and belongings.

“They fired two rockets, they told us the house of Moqbel [had been hit],” said Hadi Moqbel, who lost relatives in the attack in Jabalia.

“We came running, we saw body parts on the ground, children killed, the woman killed and a baby killed — his head was exploded like a flower. He was two months old.”