More than 20 killed in Israeli strike on school in Gaza’s Deir al-Balah

At least 22 Palestinians were killed and dozens others were injured in an Israeli air strike that hit Rofaida school, sheltering the displaced, in the west of Deir al-Balah in the centre of Gaza.

Gaza’s governmental office denied Israeli claims that the school had members of Hamas.

Women and children were among the casualties who have been rushed to al-Aqsa hospital in Deir al-Balah. 

The Israeli army did not comment on the strike.

This attack on Rofaida school is the most recent of a series of Israeli raids on schools housing thousands of displaced Gazans.

On 11 September, an Israeli strike on the al-Jawni School, run by the United Nations, killed 18 people, including six members of UN agency for Palestinian refugees, Unrwa.

Another Israeli strike on 1 August killed 15 people sheltering in the Dalal al-Mughrabi school in northern Gaza City. Two days after, a similar raid killed 16 people in the Hamama school.