ISRAELI strikes killed more than a dozen people in the Gaza Strip early today, as Israel sent more ground troops into the Palestinian territory to ramp up its offensive against Hamas.

At least 17 people, some from the same family, were killed after an air strike hit the southern city of Khan Younis, according to hospital staff. 

Hours later, people were still searching through the rubble, looking for survivors.

The attack follows days of Israeli strikes, which have killed at least 100 people, as it intensifies its renewed invasion of Gaza. 

Yesterday Israel said that it had begun ground activity in northern Gaza to seize territory and establish a new security corridor.

Israel’s military had issued sweeping evacuation orders for parts of northern Gaza before expected ground operations. 

The United Nations humanitarian office said that about 280,000 Palestinians have been displaced since Israel ended the ceasefire with Hamas last month.

Israel has imposed a blockade on food, fuel and humanitarian aid that has left civilians facing acute shortages as supplies dwindle — a tactic rights groups say is a war crime. 

Israel said that without evidence earlier this week that enough food had entered Gaza during a six-week truce to sustain the territory’s two million Palestinians for a long time.

Hamas says it will only release the remaining 59 hostages — 24 of whom are believed to be alive — in exchange for the release of more Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. 

The resistance group has rejected demands that it lay down its arms or leave the territory.

The pre-dawn strike yesterday hit a three-storey building. In addition to the dead, the attack wounded at least 16 people from the same family.

“We don’t know how to collect them and how to bury them. We don’t know whose remains these are. They were burned and dismembered,” said Ismail al-Aqqad, whose brother died in the strike, as well as his brother’s family.

Israel said yesterday that it had killed Hassan Farhat, a top Hamas commander, in a strike in Lebanon’s coastal city of Sidon. 

More than 50,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza as part of Israel’s offensive, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.

The ministry says more than half of those killed were women and children.