At least 30 people were killed after Israeli airstrikes hit a girls’ school that houses displaced people in central Gaza, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said on Saturday. The school, located in Deir Al-Balah, was reportedly sheltering many families who had been displaced due to ongoing conflict in the region.
Israel’s military stated that it targeted a Hamas command and control center used to store weapons and plan attacks in Deir Al-Balah, one of the areas most populated with displaced families. The strike led to significant destruction and casualties, with many women and children among the victims, as reported by the CBS News team in Gaza.
The Gaza Health Ministry confirmed that at least 11 other people were killed in separate attacks across the region. The CBS News team in Gaza also confirmed multiple strikes in the vicinity of Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir Al-Balah, which is near the school.
Near the hospital, the scene was one of chaos and tragedy. An injured man lay on a stretcher on the ground, while a body covered with a blanket and a dead toddler lay inside an ambulance. Inside the school, classrooms were in ruins, with people searching for victims under the rubble and gathering the remains of those who were killed.
The Gaza Health Ministry and the Hamas-run government media office reported that more than 100 others were wounded in the airstrikes. The ongoing conflict has led to a significant humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with many families left without shelter and basic necessities.
