The Civil Defense in Gaza announced on Saturday that at least 17 people were killed in an Israeli airstrike targeting a school complex in Gaza City, northern sector. The Israeli military confirmed the strike, stating the location was a “hideout” for Hamas operatives.
Civil Defense spokesperson Mahmoud Basal initially reported ten fatalities, noting that the complex was sheltering displaced individuals due to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas since October 7.
The Israeli military confirmed conducting air raids targeting operatives “in a Hamas command and control complex that was previously used as the Hamama School in Gaza City.”
The military stated, “The complex was used as a hideout for Hamas operatives, where plans for terrorist operations against the State of Israel were made. Additionally, weapons were produced and stored within the complex.”
The war in the besieged territory erupted following an unprecedented attack by Hamas on southern Israel on October 7, resulting in 1,197 deaths, most of them civilians, according to a tally by Agence France-Presse based on official Israeli figures.
The attackers also kidnapped 251 individuals, with 111 still held in Gaza, including 39 whom the military says have been killed.
The devastating Israeli bombardment and assault on Gaza have caused 39,550 deaths, according to the Hamas-run Ministry of Health.
