More than 100 Palestinians were killed and dozens more wounded in an Israeli airstrike on a Gaza school that was sheltering displaced individuals, according to the Hamas-run Gaza government. The airstrike occurred during dawn prayers, causing significant casualties, with medics still unable to reach all the bodies, the Hamas media office reported.
The Israeli military stated that the strike targeted a Hamas command and control center, claiming that Hamas commanders and operatives were hiding there. The military emphasized that measures were taken to minimize civilian harm, including the use of precise munitions and intelligence information. They did not immediately address the casualty figures reported by Gaza.
This airstrike is part of a broader Israeli assault on Gaza, launched after Hamas fighters attacked southern Israel on October 7, killing around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking more than 250 hostages, according to Israeli figures.
Since the start of the Israeli offensive, nearly 40,000 Palestinians have been reported killed, though the Palestinian health ministry does not separate combatants from civilians. Israel reports that at least a third of the fatalities are fighters, while the majority are civilians.
In response to the escalating conflict, the United States, Egypt, and Qatar are working to revive ceasefire talks, with a new round of negotiations scheduled for Thursday. There are growing concerns about the potential for a broader conflict involving Iran and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah, which also supports Hamas.
