AT LEAST 30 Palestinians, including children, were killed in Gaza by Israeli air strikes early today, bringing the number of people killed in the past 24 hours to 56.

This came as stalled ceasefire talks were set to resume and as a United Nations rapporteur said the United States and Germany were responsible for providing Israel with 99 per cent of its weapons and ammunition suppilies.

At the al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, staff said more than a dozen women and children had been killed in strikes that hit various places in central Gaza, including Nuseirat, Zawaida, Maghazi and Deir al-Balah. 

Dozens of people were also killed across the Palestinian enclave the previous day.

The Israeli army did not comment on the latest strikes. But, in a statement today, it claimed to have struck dozens of Hamas command and control centres across Gaza the previous day.

Israeli air strikes hit Hamas security officers and a declared humanitarian zone on Thursday. 

Among those killed early today was freelance journalist Omar al-Derawi. 

The Committee to Protect Journalists said last month that more than 130 Palestinian reporters had been killed since the start of the war. 

Israel issued a new warning today for people to leave an area of central Gaza immediately, saying it was going to attack following rocket launches from there towards Israel.

Israelis also woke up to attacks in the early morning. The authorities said missiles had been fired into the country from Yemen, setting off air raid sirens in Jerusalem and central Israel and sending people rushing to shelters. 

There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage. Israel’s army said a missile had been intercepted.

As the attacks were under way, efforts at ceasefire negotiations were expected to resume last night.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said he had authorised a delegation from the Mossad intelligence agency, the Shin Bet internal security agency and the military to leave for Qatar to continue negotiations.

Meanwhile, UN rapporteur Ben Saul slammed the US and Germany for providing around 99 per cent of the weapons and ammunition used by Israel.

Mr Saul warned both countries that they could be subject to measures by international courts as they continue to play a central role in maintaining Israel’s war machine

He said: “The International Court of Justice has warned of the risk of genocide in Gaza. There is an obligation under the Genocide Convention to prevent genocide and with this comes a duty not to provide weapons that could be used to carry out such genocide.”