An Israeli air assault on a tent camp for displaced persons near a school in southern Gaza has killed at least 29 Palestinians and injured scores, according to hospital officials.
Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry said Tuesday’s strike occurred outside the gate of al-Awda school in Abasan al-Kabira, east of Khan Younis.
According to one eyewitness, the number of casualties was “unimaginable”.
The Israeli military stated that it used “precise munition” to target a “terrorist from Hamas’ military wing” who was involved in the 7 October attack on Israel.
It also stated that it was “looking into reports that civilians were harmed” near the school.
The European Union and Germany have criticised the strike.
“The killing of people seeking refuge in schools is unacceptable,” the German foreign ministry stated in a statement on X.
“The repeated attacks on schools by the Israeli army must stop and an investigation must come quickly.”
The incident occurred one week after the Israeli military ordered citizens to vacate Abasan al-Kabira and other neighborhoods of eastern Khan Younis, causing tens of thousands to escape.
Much of the city was damaged during a lengthy Israeli onslaught earlier this year, but many Palestinians had relocated there to avoid the ongoing Israeli operation in adjacent Rafah.
