At least 30 people, including children, have been killed in an Israeli airstrike on a school in Deir-al Balah, central Gaza. The Israeli military claimed that the strike was aimed at destroying a Hamas command and control center located inside the compound. However, Palestinian officials and witnesses reported that thousands of civilians were sheltering in the school at the time of the attack. The IDF had issued evacuation orders for Khan Younis earlier in the day, warning residents to leave areas where they believed Hamas was operating.
The Khadija School, which was hit by the airstrike, is located near Deir-al Balah. According to reports from Palestinian health officials and witnesses, most of the victims were women and children. The emergency room at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Gaza City was overwhelmed with casualties.
The Israeli military had taken steps to reduce the risk to civilians before the strike, including aerial surveillance and intelligence gathering. However, Palestinian officials condemned the attack as a disproportionate use of force against civilians seeking shelter from violence.
The incident comes amid ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. The Israeli military has been conducting offensive operations in Khan Younis since Saturday morning, resulting in the deaths of over 100 Palestinians and injuring hundreds more. The IDF had ordered civilians to evacuate the area earlier in the day due to reported rocket fire from southern Khan Younis and intelligence indicating that Hamas had embedded infrastructure in a humanitarian area there.
The Khadija School was not the only civilian structure targeted by Israeli forces during this conflict. Reports of damage to other schools, hospitals, and residential areas have emerged, raising concerns about the protection of civilians under international law.
It is important to note that all sources used in this article have an overall score below 90%, indicating a moderate level of reliability. It is crucial to remain skeptical and consider multiple perspectives when reporting on complex and sensitive issues such as this one.