AT LEAST 60 Palestinians were killed in air strikes in the Gaza Strip today, as the Israeli killing spree continued.

The attacks came as international condemnation of Israel’s siege of the coastal enclave and its deadly violence against Palestinians continued to grow louder.

Israel launched another major offensive in the territory in recent days, saying it aims to win the return of dozens of hostages held by Hamas and destroy the resistance group. 

Over recent days, strikes have pounded areas across Gaza and Israel has issued evacuation orders for the second-largest city, Khan Younis, which endured a previous offensive that left vast destruction.

Two of the latest strikes in northern Gaza hit a family home and a school-turned-shelter, killing at least 22 people, more than half of them women and children, according to the territory’s Health Ministry.

A strike in the central city of Deir al-Balah killed 13 people and another in the nearby built-up Nuseirat refugee camp killed 15, according to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital.

Two strikes in the southern city of Khan Younis killed 10 people, according to Nasser Hospital.

There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military, which claims to only target militants and claims that Hamas is to blame for civilian deaths because it operates in densely populated areas.

Under increased pressure from worldwide demonstrations and the international community, Israel has been forced to agree to a limited amount of aid into Gaza following a two-and-a-half-month blockade that prevented the entry of food, medicine and fuel, among other goods. 

The blockade led food experts to warn of a possible famine.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had made the decision to let in minimal aid under pressure from allies, who he said couldn’t support Israel so long as “images of hunger” were coming out of Gaza.

Criticism of Israel’s conduct intensified on Monday when Britain, France and Canada threatened “concrete actions” against the country, including sanctions, and called on the government to stop its “egregious” new military actions in Gaza.

Mr Netanyahu rejected the criticism as “a huge prize” for Hamas’s October 7 2023 attack on southern Israel that would encourage more such violence.

So far, just a handful of lorries have been sent into Gaza, which United Nations agencies say is nowhere near enough to meet the massive need.

Some 600 lorries a day entered during a ceasefire earlier this year.