Dozens of Palestinians were killed in air strikes by Israel in Gaza on Saturday, according to Palestinian media, as the US urged Israel to cut back its military campaign and focus on Hamas officials, news agency Reuters reported. At least 14 people were killed in attacks on two residences on Old Gaza Street in Jabalia, while scores were killed in another strike in Jabalia, according to the official WAFA news agency. According to the Palestinian agency, a big number of residents were trapped under rubble.
The Israeli military claimed its planes attacked a structure in Jabalia after its soldiers were attacked, and a number of Hamas members were found on the roof. It was unclear whether the structure was one among those reported struck by WAFA.
According to the military, Israeli soldiers killed terrorists holed up in two schools in Gaza City, stormed residences in Khan Younis filled with weaponry, and discovered what it called Hamas' underground infrastructure.
The reports could not be independently verified by Reuters.
With heavy ground battle raging across the tight Gaza Strip and relief agencies warning of a humanitarian disaster, the US has warned that Israel risks losing international backing due to "indiscriminate" air attacks that murder Palestinian civilians.
According to US officials, President Joe Biden's national security advisor, Jake Sullivan, who visited Israel on Thursday and Friday, sent a message to Israel to dial back the wide military campaign and move to more precisely targeted operations against Hamas leaders.
During Sullivan's visit, Israeli authorities officially said that the battle will continue until the goal of destroying Hamas was achieved, which might take months.
Washington signalled on Friday that US and Israel were at odds over how fast to end the conflict, with Sullivan stating the timeframe was the topic of "intensive discussion" among the allies.
On October 7, Hamas terrorists launched a surprise cross-border raid on Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking 240 captives. According to Gaza health officials, Israel's response has killed about 19,000 Palestinians, with thousands more believed to be trapped under debris.