Israel said its military struck a school that contained a Hamas compound on Thursday, June 6. Israel has long accused Hamas of using civilian facilities like schools and hospitals as hideouts and weapon storage. Reports indicate the Israeli airstrike was on a UNRWA school in the Nuseirat refugee camp.
Israeli officials said the early morning airstrike killed fighters who were involved in Hamas’ terror attack on Oct. 7.
The Hamas-run media rejected those claims, saying the strike by Israeli fighter jets killed at least 30 people, including women and children who were seeking shelter inside the United Nations school in central Gaza.
The Israeli military said it took steps to reduce the risk of harming civilians before launching the attack.
The strike comes a day after the Israeli military announced a new ground and air offensive in central Gaza, where it says Hamas militants have regrouped.
Despite the reports from local officials, Israel said it was not aware of any civilians deaths at the school.
This comes after Straight Arrow News recently reported the United Nations had revised its estimates on the number of Palestinian women and children killed in the war. The world agency said the actual death toll was half of what had been reported by the Hamas-run Ministry of Health in Gaza.
The U.N. also suggested the numbers could further decrease as they continue to investigate the death count.