Israeli airstrikes killed at least 100 Palestinians across the Gaza Strip on Thursday, including 27 who were sheltering at a school in the northern part of the territory, according to Palestinian health officials. The escalation comes as Israel intensifies its military offensive, which it says aims to eliminate Hamas and weaken its infrastructure.
The Health Ministry in Gaza reported that among the dead at the school in the Tuffah neighborhood of Gaza City were 14 children and five women. Officials warned that the toll could rise as some of the 70 wounded suffered critical injuries. More than 30 other civilians were killed in airstrikes on homes in the nearby Shijaiyah neighborhood, according to medical records at Ahli Hospital.
The Israeli military said it targeted a Hamas command and control center in Gaza City and took measures to minimize civilian casualties. A day earlier, Israel launched an airstrike on a United Nations building used as a shelter, killing at least 17 people. Hamas condemned the school attack as a “heinous massacre” of innocent civilians.
As Israeli forces expanded operations, the military ordered residents in northern Gaza to evacuate to the west and south, warning of intensified attacks. Thousands of Palestinians fled on foot, carrying belongings in carts and makeshift bags.
“My wife and I have been walking for three hours and covered just one kilometer,” said Mohammad Ermana, 72, who was searching for shelter. “We are desperate to find safety.”
The United Nations humanitarian office reported that around 280,000 Palestinians have been displaced since Israel ended a ceasefire with Hamas last month. The humanitarian crisis continues to deepen amid food, fuel, and aid shortages.
Israeli airstrikes overnight killed at least 55 more people across the territory, with hospitals in Khan Younis, central Gaza, and Gaza City receiving dozens of bodies, including those of young children and women, according to health officials.
The Israeli military also announced an investigation into a March 23 operation where its forces reportedly opened fire on ambulances in southern Gaza. The United Nations stated that 15 Palestinian medics and emergency responders were killed, with their bodies and vehicles buried in a mass grave. Israeli officials initially claimed that the ambulances were operating suspiciously.
U.N. human rights chief Volker Türk said there is an “increasing risk” of war crimes in Gaza and warned that blocking humanitarian aid could constitute the use of starvation as a weapon of war.
As part of its military strategy, Israel is establishing a security corridor across Gaza to pressure Hamas, further restricting movement in the densely populated enclave. The war, which began after Hamas militants attacked Israel on Oct. 7, has left vast parts of Gaza in ruins and displaced millions. Gaza’s Health Ministry reports that more than 50,000 Palestinians have been killed, over half of them women and children.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, facing an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court over alleged war crimes, arrived in Hungary on Thursday for diplomatic talks. Hungary, an ICC member, has not indicated whether it will comply with the warrant.
The conflict, now in its sixth month, continues to escalate, with no immediate resolution in sight as airstrikes and evacuations persist across Gaza.
