Dozens were killed in airstrikes after Israel stepped up its military offensive in northern Gaza, the Civil Defense Agency said, with the conflict marking another grim milepost as the death toll passed 53,000.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health announced Wednesday that an early morning Israeli airstrike has killed dozens of people and injured several more.

The strikes have killed at least 22 children since dawn, as the Israeli military intensifies its attacks while refusing to end its widely condemned aid blockade.

Dozens were killed in airstrikes after Israel stepped up its military offensive in northern Gaza, the Civil Defense Agency said, with the conflict marking another grim milepost as…