At least 31 civilians killed in Israeli strikes on school sheltering displaced families

At least 31 Palestinians were killed today Saturday in an Israeli strike on a field hospital inside Khadija School in Deir al Balah, central Gaza, according to Palestinian health officials. The Israeli military said it targeted a Hamas command center.

The Gaza health ministry and Hamas office reported that the strike on the school in Deir Al-Balah, an area heavily populated with displaced families, resulted in over 100 injuries in addition to the deaths.

The Israeli military claimed it struck a “Hamas command and control center inside the Khadija school compound in central Gaza.”

Earlier on Saturday, Palestinian official media reported that at least 14 Palestinians were killed by Israeli attacks in the southern city of Khan Younis, with their bodies taken to Nasser Medical Complex.

According to Gaza health authorities, more than 39,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli strikes in the enclave since the war began on Oct. 7th, 2023. 52% of those killed were women and children, amid ongoing blockade and attacks on civilian infrastructure.