Gaza Conflict: Over 30 Palestinians Killed in Israeli Airstrike on School

At least 30 Palestinians were killed and over 100 wounded in an Israeli airstrike on a school in Deir al Balah, Gaza. The Israeli military claimed the site was a Hamas command center. Medical officials reported ongoing evacuations and significant casualties amid the continuing conflict.

At least 30 Palestinians were killed in an Israeli strike on a school in Deir al Balah in central Gaza, Palestinian health officials said, and the Israeli military confirmed targeting a Hamas command centre. The school in one of the most heavily populated areas with displaced families also saw over 100 individuals wounded.

The Israeli military's statement indicated that the Khadija school compound was used for launching attacks and storing weapons, and asserted that civilians were warned ahead of the strike.

Ambulances carried the injured to Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir Al-Balah. Some walked in with bloodstained clothes. Prior similar strikes on civilian infrastructure have been attributed by the Israeli military to Hamas, accusing it of positioning within densely populated areas. Hamas denies these claims.

Earlier in the day, Palestinian media reported that at least 14 were killed in Israeli attacks in Khan Younis, with their bodies taken to Nasser Medical Complex. The Israeli military urged temporary evacuation of southern Khan Younis for operational reasons, advising relocation to Al-Mawasi.

Five Palestinians were killed in an Israeli airstrike on a house in Al-Bureij refugee camp, with another four in a strike near Rafah. U.N. and humanitarian officials have accused Israel of disproportionate force and failing to ensure civilian safety, allegations which Israel denies.

The conflict, ongoing for over nine months post the Oct. 7 Hamas-led attack, underscores the Israeli Defence Forces' challenges in neutralizing Hamas fighters amid persistent resistance. The Gaza health authorities report over 39,000 Palestinian deaths, with Israel estimating 14,000 militant fatalities or captures. Approximately 1,200 Israelis were killed and 250 taken hostage in the Oct. 7 raid.

(With inputs from agencies.)