At least 80 people were killed and 47 wounded in an Israeli airstrike on a school-turned-shelter in Gaza City early Saturday, according to Palestinian health authorities.
The Israeli military confirmed the strike, stating it targeted a Hamas command centre within the Tabeen School, which was sheltering displaced families. Hamas denied this claim.
The attack left the school in central Gaza City devastated, with witnesses describing scenes of chaos and destruction. Fadel Naeem, director of the al-Ahli hospital, reported receiving 70 bodies and body parts of at least 10 others.
The strike occurred without warning as people were praying at a mosque inside the school, according to witness Abu Anas.
Three missiles hit the school, where approximately 6,000 people had sought refuge. Many of the dead were unrecognizable, and the death toll is expected to rise, said Mahmoud Bassal, a spokesperson for the Civil Defense first responders.
The United Nations reported that 477 out of 564 schools in Gaza had been damaged in the ongoing conflict, which began with a Hamas attack on Israel on October 7.
The war has displaced 1.9 million of Gaza's 2.3 million residents. The airstrike has drawn international condemnation, with Egypt and Jordan accusing Israel of violating international law. Mediation efforts for a ceasefire continue.
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