Gaza: Israeli airstrikes on Saturday struck a girls' school in central Gaza's Deir al Balah, killing at least 30 Palestinians and wounding over 100 others, according to Palestinian officials. The Israeli military said in a statement it had targeted a "Hamas command and control center inside the Khadija school compound in central Gaza".
Deir al Balah is one of the areas most populated with displaced families as many fled their homes in Gaza due to the intense fighting. Disturbing visuals emerged as ambulances raced wounded Palestinians into the Al-Aqsa Hospital, while some of the victims arrived on foot with their clothes stained with blood. Gaza's Health Ministry said 14 people were killed in other strikes on Saturday.
The planned strike comes a day before officials from the US, Egypt, Qatar and Israel are scheduled to meet in Italy and discuss the ongoing hostage and cease-fire negotiations. CIA Director Bill Burns is expected to meet Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed Bin Abdul Rahman al-Thani, Mossad director David Barnea and Egyptian spy chief Abbas Kamel on Sunday, according to officials
Israel orders evacuation of Palestinians in Khan Younis
Israel's military has usually blamed the militant Islamist group Hamas for putting civilians in harm's way, accusing it of operating within densely populated neighbourhoods, schools and hospitals as cover. Hamas has denied these claims. UN and humanitarian officials accuse Israel of using disproportionate force in the war, which it denies.
Meanwhile, the Israeli military ordered Palestinians on Saturday to temporarily evacuate southern neighbourhoods of Gaza's Khan Younis so it could "forcefully operate" there. The military has ordered the residents to relocate to a designated humanitarian area in Al-Mawasi, according to an official statement, as the conflict is nearing ten months.
The order comes after reported rocket firings that Israel says originate from this specific area in the south. This is the second evacuation issued in a week in an area designated for Palestinians fleeing other parts of Gaza. The military said it fought Palestinian fighters in Khan Younis on Friday and destroyed tunnels and other infrastructure while trying to eliminate small units that hit the troops with mortar fire.
Death toll continues to rise amid ceasefire talks
Israeli officials estimate that some 14,000 fighters from militant groups including Hamas and Islamic Jihad have been killed or taken prisoner, out of a force they estimated to number more than 25,000 at the start of the war. The military said on Saturday its calls to evacuate were communicated to the population via several mediums in order to mitigate danger to civilians.
The war in Gaza has killed more than 39,100 Palestinians, according to the territory's Health Ministry. The war began with an assault by Hamas militants on southern Israel on October 7 that killed 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and took about 250 hostages.
Meanwhile, Israel and Hamas are in agreement on the basic framework of the three-phase deal as it was presented by President Joe Biden in late May, according to senior Biden administration officials. Top administration officials, including Biden, have repeatedly expressed cautious optimism for weeks that a deal is close to being sealed. However, serious differences between the two warring parties remain.
(with inputs from agencies)
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