At least 30 people have died as a result of an Israeli airstrike that targeted a school in central Gaza, according to Palestinian health sources.
According to the health ministry administered by Hamas, 100 more individuals were injured, reported The Associated Press.
One of the places with the highest concentration of evacuated families was Deir al Balah, home to the Khadija girls’ school.
The Israeli military said that it attacked a Hamas command headquarters and that the school was being used as a weapons stockpile and to conduct attacks against troops.
A statement said it had taken “numerous steps” to minimise civilian harm including “appropriate munitions, aerial surveillance and additional intelligence”.
Some wounded Palestinians arrived on foot, covered in blood, at the neighbouring al Aqsa Hospital.
According to Sky News, the attack wrecked classrooms, and survivors had to go through the debris to discover the victims and collect the remains.
Workers in civil defence said that thousands of people were taking refuge in the school, which also included a medical facility.
The strikes occurred one day ahead of the planned meeting in Italy with representatives from the United States, Egypt, Qatar, and Israel to discuss the ongoing discussions for a cease-fire and hostages. According to anonymous U.S. and Egyptian officials who were not authorised to discuss the plans, CIA Director Bill Burns is scheduled to meet with Egyptian spy chief Abbas Kamel, Mossad Director David Barnea, and Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed Bin Abdul Rahman al-Thani on Sunday.
Prior to a scheduled attack on Khan Younis on Saturday, the Israeli military had issued an order for the evacuation of a portion of a designated humanitarian zone in Gaza.
Israel reported that rocket fire was coming from the area, which is why they issued the evacuation order. Israel has instructed hundreds of Palestinians to seek shelter at Muwasi, a packed tent camp in the city, during the war. The military said that it planned an operation against Hamas members in the city.
It’s the second evacuation order in a week that’s included striking part of the humanitarian zone, a 60-square-kilometre area full of tent camps.
According to Gaza’s health authorities, Israeli strikes have killed around 39,000 Palestinians since the start of the conflict; these numbers do not differentiate between combatants and civilians.
The Health Ministry of Gaza reports that around 39,200 Palestinians have died in the conflict; the ministry does not differentiate between soldiers and civilians when calculating this figure. About 17,000 children in the region are reportedly unaccompanied right now, according to U.N. estimates from February, and that number is probably higher now.
