Israeli strike on UN shelter in Gaza kills at least 39
An Israeli air strike on a UN school packed with hundreds of displaced people in central Gaza has killed at least 39 people, local officials say.
The Gaza-based Government Media Office reported that the Israeli military targeted a school operated by the UN agency for Palestinian refugees in the Nuseirat refugee camp, causing numerous injuries as well.
The office condemned the Israeli military's actions, describing them as ongoing 'massacres' and accusing Israel of perpetuating the 'genocide' of displaced Palestinians in Gaza.
Authorities at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital confirmed the attack's toll, with at least 39 dead and many others injured. They cautioned that the death count might increase as more victims arrive at the hospital.
The Israeli military acknowledged the strike on the UNRWA school in Nuseirat, claiming that Hamas fighters were concealed inside the facility.
Since the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, Israel has continued its intense offensive on Gaza, despite a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire.
Local health authorities report that nearly 36,600 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed in Gaza, with over 83,000 others injured.
Israel faces genocide accusations at the International Court of Justice, which recently ordered Tel Aviv to cease its operation in the southern city of Rafah, where over a million Palestinians had sought refuge before the city's invasion on May 6.