Authorities in the Hamas-run Gaza Strip have reported that dozens of displaced Palestinians were killed when Israel struck a school in Deir al-Balah. In response, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that the attack targeted a "hiding place for Hamas terrorists."

An Israeli attack on a school in Gaza has resulted in the deaths of at least 12 people, according to authorities in the Hamas-run enclave. They described the school as a provisional shelter for displaced Palestinians in Gaza. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that the attack targeted the area of the school as part of an operation aimed at a "camouflaged Hamas command and control compound."

The shelling hit Khadija school, located west of Gaza's Deir al-Balah area, as reported by Gaza's Civil Defense service. The IDF claimed that the attack killed "Hamas terrorists who were hiding and operating from the compound" and noted that the location was used for weapons storage. The Israeli military emphasized that it had taken numerous steps to reduce the likelihood of harming civilians.

In contrast, the media office of the Hamas-run government reported a death toll of 18, stating that three Israeli fighter jets targeted a makeshift hospital within the school premises. The Gaza government indicated that the hospital provided medical services to many sick and injured civilians.

In southern Gaza, the IDF has instructed Palestinian civilians to evacuate parts of the Khan Younis area, including the humanitarian zone there, as it prepares for "forceful operations" in the region. The IDF cited "significant terrorist activity and rocket fire toward the State of Israel" from the southern area of Khan Younis as reasons for the evacuation order and accused Hamas of embedding "terrorist infrastructure" in the humanitarian zone.

The Israeli military said it has issued early warnings to civilians to "mitigate harm to the civilian population" and called on them to "temporarily evacuate" to the al-Mawasi humanitarian zone. The IDF has attempted to reach civilians through various means, including flyers, media broadcasts, phone calls, and text and voice messages.

Throughout the past nine months of conflict, many Palestinians have been displaced multiple times as Israel conducts operations in different areas of the enclave, which is home to 2.3 million Palestinians. The fighting began after Hamas attacked southern Israel on October 7, resulting in around 1,200 deaths and approximately 250 hostages, with about 115 still in Gaza. Israel estimates that a third of the hostages might be deceased. Meanwhile, health authorities in the Hamas-run strip report that over 39,100 Palestinians have been killed in the conflict. Hamas is designated as a terrorist group by Israel, the United States, the European Union, and other entities. This report was provided by Reuters.