Israel steps up Gaza strikes, pressure grows over civilian casualties

Health officials in Hamas-controlled Gaza said more than 9,770 Palestinians have been killed in the war to date

Palestinians look for survivors of the Israeli bombardment in the Maghazi refugee camp in the Gaza Strip on Sunday (Picture: AP Photo/Hatem Moussa)

Israeli fighter jets struck 450 Hamas targets in Gaza and troops seized a militant compound in the past 24 hours, Israel's military said on Monday, in attacks the enclave's health authorities said killed dozens of people.

A Reuters journalist in the Gaza Strip described the overnight bombardment from the air, ground and sea as one of the most intense since Israel launched its offensive in response to a surprise attack by Hamas on southern Israel a month ago.