Gaza’s civil defence agency has said Israeli strikes killed at least 44 people across the war-ravaged Palestinian territory, where Israel has intensified a military offensive.

“Civil defence teams have transferred (to hospitals) at least 44 dead, mostly children and women, as well as dozens of wounded” across Gaza since 1:00 am (03:00 PKT), agency spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP.

Bassal said eight were killed in a strike on a school sheltering displaced people in Gaza City and 12 in a strike on a house in Deir el-Balah in central Gaza. Another 15 were killed in a strike on a gas station near the Nuseirat refugee camp and nine in a strike on a house in the Jabalia refugee camp.

There was no immediate comment on the strikes from the Israeli military.