Israel air strike on Gaza school kills several displaced Palestinians
An Israeli air strike on a school in Gaza City has killed at least 12 Palestinians, according to civil defence officials in the enclave.
Warplanes struck the Mustafa Hafez school, in central Gaza, on Tuesday morning. Most school buildings in the besieged strip are now being used to house those displaced by Israel's war on Gaza.
Two children were amongst those killed in the attack after a bomb hit the second floor of the school, civil defence spokesperson Mahmud Bassal told AFP.
Around 700 displaced Palestinians were sheltering at Mustafa Hafez school, which is one of the main evacuation centres in western Gaza City, Al Jazeera reported.
Basal said 15 people were wounded by the Israeli strike. Others were missing under the building's rubble, with rescuers unable to reach them due to lack of equipment.
New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch
Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters
The Israeli military said: "Hamas terrorists used the command and control centre to plan and execute attacks against IDF troops and the State of Israel."
It said it carried out a "precise strike on terrorists who were operating" inside the school. It provided no evidence of the claim.
Israeli authorities have frequently attributed its attacks on schools, hospitals and other civilian infrastructures by stating that it was targeting Hamas fighters. It has provided little evidence to back up any of the claims.
Al Jazeera reported that Israeli forces struck the facility with no prior warning. Victims of the attack were taken to Al-Ahli hospital for treatment, the report added.
Earlier this month, an Israeli attack on Al-Tabin school in Gaza City whilst displaced people performed dawn prayers killed at least 100 Palestinian civilians, including women and children.
The Palestinian health ministry said on Tuesday that at least 34 people were killed in Israeli attacks on the enclave in the past 24 hours, bringing the death toll to 40,173 killed since 7 October.
Additionally, 92,857 have been wounded since the start of the war.
Middle East Eye delivers independent and unrivalled coverage and analysis of the Middle East, North Africa and beyond. To learn more about republishing this content and the associated fees, please fill out this form. More about MEE can be found here.
