Residents of the Palestinian refugee district of Jabalia in the Gaza Strip report continued Israeli attacks in the area and say repeated explosions and low-flying drones can be heard.
Israel has reportedly surrounded the district and imposed a curfew. Thousands of civilians were unable to leave their homes, locals told dpa, and people struggled to get water and food.
An Israeli army spokesman said the military was investigating the reports. According to the army, it repeatedly targets bases of the Palestinian militant Hamas organization.
Residents of Jabalia reported that dozens of dead bodies in homes and on the streets could not be recovered under the circumstances. Injured people were trapped in their homes and could not reach the hospital.
The Hamas-controlled Health Ministry said 52 bodies had been taken to hospitals in the coastal strip within 24 hours.
Since the start of the war more than a year ago, more than 42,200 people have been killed and more than 98,400 others injured in the Gaza Strip. These figures cannot be independently verified.