More than 80 Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire across the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, most of them in Gaza City, local hospitals said.
Women and children were among at least 20 who died when a strike hit a building and tents sheltering displaced families near Firas market in Gaza City's central Daraj neighborhood overnight, according to first responders.
The Israeli military said it struck two Hamas fighters and claimed that the number of casualties did not align with its own information.
Meanwhile, Israeli tanks and troops continued their advance into the heart of the city, which Israel states is the last stronghold of Hamas.
The military has said the ground offensive aims to secure the release of hostages still held by Hamas and ensure the Palestinian armed group's decisive defeat.
Hundreds of thousands of residents have fled Gaza's biggest urban center, which was confirmed to be under famine conditions last month by a UN-backed body. However, hundreds of thousands more remain, facing severe humanitarian crises as health and other essential services collapse.
U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff mentioned that President Donald Trump had presented a 21-point plan for peace in the Mideast and Gaza to Arab and Muslim leaders at the UN General Assembly.
Meanwhile, hospitals in Gaza City reported receiving the bodies of more than 60 individuals since midnight on Wednesday. The Hamas-run Civil Defence agency reported that one-third of the fatalities were due to an Israeli strike on a warehouse sheltering displaced people near the market.
International journalists have been blocked by Israel from entering Gaza independently, making it difficult to verify casualty reports.
The conflict continues to escalate with increasing civilian casualties, with the Israeli military operation responding to a deadly Hamas-led attack against southern Israel in October 2023.
