Tragedy has struck again in the embattled Gaza Strip, as an Israeli air strike on a school housing displaced people has killed at least 12 Palestinians.
The strike on the Mustafa Hafez school in the Rimal neighborhood of Gaza City has also left many more injured and trapped under rubble.
According to the Hamas-run Civil Defence authority, rescuers are struggling to recover the bodies of those trapped, with fears that the death toll may rise.
“Our crews retrieved 12 martyrs from the Mustafa Hafiz school, which was bombed by the Israeli occupation west of Gaza City,” agency spokesman Mahmud Bassal said.
The Israeli military has claimed that the strike targeted a Hamas command and control centre operating within the school, but this has been strongly disputed by Palestinian sources.
“Hamas terrorists used the command-and-control centre to plan and execute attacks against IDF (Israeli army) troops and the State of Israel.
“Prior to the strike, numerous steps were taken to mitigate the risk of harming civilians, including the use of precise munitions, aerial surveillance and additional intelligence,” the military said in a statement.
Eyewitnesses describe the scene as “carnage”, with women and children screaming and running from the dust-enveloped school.
The strike has sparked widespread outrage and condemnation, with the UN Human Rights Office accusing Israel of conducting strikes on schools “with apparent disregard for the high rate of civilian fatalities”.
This latest tragedy comes amid a broader conflict that has seen over 40,000 people killed in Gaza since last year.
The international community is calling for an immediate ceasefire and an investigation into the escalating violence.