Israel pounded Gaza City overnight after vowing a new offensive, which left Palestinian residents paralysed with fear, with at least 54 Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes since dawn.
Earlier on Thursday, Al Jazeera, citing its medical sources, reported on Thursday that the latest death toll includes 16 in Gaza City alone, with AJE further noting that four of the dead were civilians seeking aid.
Israel's military has been building up its forces for the planned operation to seize Gaza City, the Palestinian territory's largest urban centre located in its northern part, despite mounting global concern for Palestinian civilians suffering dire humanitarian conditions.
Military chief Eyal Zamir said troops were already "intensifying our combat operations", according to an army statement.
Gaza's civil defence agency said Israeli forces killed at least 62 people on Wednesday.
Gaza's health ministry also said that five adults and one child had died from forced starvation over the past day, bringing the total toll to 367, including 131 children throughout the war- amid twin threats of combat and famine.
Meanwhile, The United Arab Emirates on Wednesday warned that any Israeli move to annex the occupied West Bank would be a "red line", without specifying its possible impact on the landmark normalisation accord between the two countries.