Israeli strike on Gaza school leaves ’30 dead’

The Israeli army struck a school near Deir al-Balah, a town in central Gaza, killing at least 30 Palestinians and wounding more than 100, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Telegram that a Hamas command and control center was embedded inside the Khadija school.

The Israeli military added that Hamas used the compound as a hideout to direct and plan attacks and store weapons.

Gaza’s health ministry said the footage showed the victims were civilians and most were children. The BBC verified a video showing children among the victims.

Gaza’s Civil Protection Services said the school was sheltering displaced people.

The Gaza Health Ministry said 53 people had been killed and 189 injured since Saturday morning due to IDF shelling in Deir al-Balah and the southern city of Khan Younis.

The strike comes as Israel continues its months-long military campaign in Gaza, which has killed more than 39,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

The war began when Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 hostage.

The Deir al-Balah strike came as the Israeli military on Saturday morning ordered civilians from southern Khan Younis to evacuate to an “adjusted humanitarian zone” in al-Mawasi, an area along the coast.

The Israeli military announced that it was about to take “strong action” after reporting “significant” rocket fire toward Israel from south of Khan Younis and “specific intelligence indicating that Hamas has established” infrastructure in the humanitarian zone. The Israeli military warned civilians that “remaining in this area has become dangerous.”

The Israeli military has released maps showing a further reduction in the humanitarian zone in al-Mawasi. The military reduced the area on Monday by ordering the evacuation of part of the humanitarian zone ahead of an operation against Palestinian fighters who had apparently gathered there.

Following evacuation orders, Gaza Health Ministry said At least 70 people have been killed by Israeli strikes around Khan Younis.