Tragedy in Gaza: Israeli Airstrike on School Leaves Dozens Dead

At least 30 Palestinians, including 15 children and eight women, were killed in an Israeli airstrike on a school in Gaza. The attack targeted militants using the compound, according to Israel. Efforts for a Gaza ceasefire continue, with talks expected in Rome involving U.S., Israeli, and Egyptian officials.

At least 30 Palestinians were killed in an Israeli airstrike on a school housing displaced people in Gaza on Saturday, Palestinian health officials said. The attack targeted militants who were using the compound, Israel claimed. The Hamas-run government media office reported that 15 children and eight women were among those killed in the central town of Deir Al-Balah, with more than 100 others wounded.

Israel's military stated that measures were taken to minimize civilian casualties. At Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir Al-Balah, ambulances transported the wounded for treatment, while some arrived on foot, stained with blood. Reuters footage revealed people returning to assess their belongings amid the devastation, with fires burning and debris scattered across the schoolyard.

Um Hasan Ali, a displaced woman at the school, recounted returning from Egypt only to find her daughter wounded. Another woman, Ibtihal Ahmed, described the chaos and people's desperate attempts to survive. Israel asserts that Hamas uses civilians as shields in densely populated areas, a claim Hamas denies.

In parallel, CIA Director William Burns is expected to meet Israeli and Egyptian counterparts, along with Qatar's prime minister, in Rome for ceasefire talks and hostage-release deliberations. More than 39,000 Palestinians and 328 Israeli soldiers have been killed in the ongoing conflict, which started after a Hamas-led attack in October.

Recent Israeli operations instructed Palestinians to evacuate southern Khan Younis, with attacks there resulting in additional deaths. The international community, including U.N. officials, accuses Israel of excessive force and insufficient civilian protection, charges Israel denies.

Meanwhile, violence in the Israeli-occupied West Bank continues to escalate, with frequent raids and street attacks. An Israeli drone strike recently killed one person in Nablus after gunmen attacked an Israeli army post, further intensifying the tensions.

(With inputs from agencies.)