Israel’s military has conducted an airstrike on a school near Deir al-Balah, central Gaza, resulting in the deaths of at least 30 Palestinians and injuring over 100, according to reports from Gaza’s health ministry.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) asserted that a Hamas command and control center was located within the Khadija School premises.
The IDF stated that Hamas utilized the facility as a base to orchestrate attacks and store armaments.
Footage reviewed by Gaza’s health ministry indicates that the casualties were predominantly civilians, including many children. A verified video confirmed children among the deceased.
According to Gaza’s civil defense service, the school provided refuge for displaced families.
Gaza’s health ministry reported a total of 53 lives lost and 189 injured since Saturday morning, attributed to IDF bombing operations in Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis.
The airstrike is part of Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza, which has reportedly resulted in over 39,000 Palestinian fatalities, as stated by Gaza’s health ministry.
This conflict escalated following a Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, which led to the deaths of approximately 1,200 Israelis and the abduction of 251 individuals.
The airstrike in Deir al-Balah coincided with IDF orders to civilians in southern Khan Younis to evacuate to a designated “adjusted humanitarian area” in al-Mawasi, a coastal region.
The IDF announced impending military operations, citing “significant” rocket fire directed at Israel from Khan Younis and “precise intelligence” regarding Hamas infrastructure embedded within the humanitarian zone. Civilians were warned that remaining in the area had become perilous.
Maps released by the IDF indicated a further contraction of the humanitarian area in al-Mawasi. The military redefined the zone on Monday following evacuation orders, aiming to conduct operations against regrouped Palestinian fighters.
Following the evacuation directives, Gaza’s health ministry reported that Israeli strikes in Khan Younis resulted in at least 70 additional fatalities.
