An Israeli airstrike hit a school shelter in Gaza City, killing dozens of people, according to Gaza’s Hamas-controlled civil defense agency. The attack took place on Saturday in the Daraj district, where the shelter was housing displaced Palestinians.
The agency reported that the strike killed between 90 and 100 people and injured many more. Mahmud Bassal, a spokesman for the civil defense agency, described the incident as a “horrific massacre.” He noted that the attack occurred during dawn prayers, which contributed to the high number of casualties.
Israel’s military stated that it targeted a Hamas command center located within the school. They claimed the strike was aimed at Hamas terrorists operating from the Al-Taba’een school. Earlier this week, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) also targeted Hamas command centers located in schools in Gaza City.
The airstrike is part of an ongoing conflict that began after Hamas-led gunmen killed about 1,200 people in an attack on Israel on October 7 and took 251 hostages to Gaza. This attack led to a large-scale Israeli military offensive on Gaza.
According to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, more than 39,600 Palestinians have been killed in the ongoing Israeli campaign.