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At least 15 dead after Israel strikes U.N. school in Gaza

"We’ve looked at the trajectory and we’re confident it was Israeli artillery fire," on-site U.N. official says.

By Matt Bradwell
Displaced Palestinians take shelter at the United Nations school in the Rafah refugee camp in the southern Gaza Strip on July 30, 2014. Israeli bombardments early on July 30 killed "dozens" of Palestinians in Gaza, including at least 16 at a UN school, medics said, on day 23 of the Israel-Gaza conflict. UPI/Ismael Mohamad
1 of 4 | Displaced Palestinians take shelter at the United Nations school in the Rafah refugee camp in the southern Gaza Strip on July 30, 2014. Israeli bombardments early on July 30 killed "dozens" of Palestinians in Gaza, including at least 16 at a UN school, medics said, on day 23 of the Israel-Gaza conflict. UPI/Ismael Mohamad | License Photo

GAZA, July 30 (UPI) -- Between 15 and 20 people are dead and over 90 are believed to be injured after Israeli tanks launched a strike on a United Nations school in Gaza.

At about 4:30 a.m. local time at least two shells fired from tanks struck the Abu Hussein school in Jabaliya, the most densely populated area of Gaza. Palestinian health officials have confirmed the deaths of at least 15 people, with some outlets reporting as many as 20.

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Roughly 3,300 people were in the school during the attack as it was being used as a refugee camp, housing Palestinians displaced by the Israeli military strikes.

"They were told to move to these areas," Robert Turner, the Gaza-based director of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, told the New York Times.

"These people were in this school because they'd been told by the [Israel Defense Forces] to leave where they came from."

Turner said he believes "at least three explosive projectiles" struck the school overnight and is confident the strike came from Israel.

"We've been on site, we're gathered evidence, we've looked at the trajectory and we're confident it was Israeli artillery fire."

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