The Palestinian Civil Emergency Service has said that at least 55 Palestinians were killed and dozens others wounded in an Israeli strike on a residential building in the northern Gaza town of Beit Lahiya, Reuters reports.

It added that many victims were believed to still be trapped under the rubble. The official Palestinian news agency Wafa and Hamas media reported had earlier reported the same figure.

Many of those killed in the strike were women and children, Wafa reported, citing medics.

There was no immediate Israeli comment.