At least 20 people were killed and dozens more injured in an Israeli airstrike that hit a school sheltering displaced families in Gaza City’s Daraj neighborhood, local health officials reported on Monday.
The strike, part of Israel’s intensified military operations in Gaza that began in early May, resulted in numerous civilian casualties, including women and children. Some victims were severely burned, based on unverified images circulating online.
The Israeli military has not yet issued a statement regarding the incident.
The military campaign aims to dismantle Hamas’ governance and military capabilities, as well as rescue hostages taken during the October 7, 2023 attacks. That assault by Hamas resulted in approximately 1,200 Israeli deaths.
Gaza’s media office claims Israel now controls around 77% of the enclave through military presence and evacuation mandates that have displaced nearly all of Gaza’s two million residents.
Despite international calls for restraint and increased humanitarian aid, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that Israel intends to maintain full control over Gaza. Gaza health authorities report that more than 53,000 people, largely civilians, have been killed since the conflict began.