At least 28 killed, 54 wounded in Israeli strike on Gaza school

Oct. 10 (UPI) -- A Thursday Israeli strike on the Rafidah Gaza school, where displaced Palestinians were sheltering, left at least 28 people dead and injured at least 54 more.

According to Israel's military the strike was against "terrorists who were operating inside a command and control center" at the school compound.

The Palestinian Red Crescent and the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry reported 28 deaths.

The health ministry called it a "new massacre."

The Israeli military claimed the strike was a precise attack that hit Hamas fighters at the school, which according to Israel was being used as a command and control center.

Israel also said numerous steps were taken to protect civilians, but it's unclear how many civilians and how many Hamas fighters, if any, died in the strike.

A video of the attack scene showed several children being treated at the al-Aqsa hospital near the town of Deer al-Balah as people ran to help the injured in a cloud of smoke and dust.

Schools have been turned into shelters used by some of the 1.9 million Palestinians displaced by the war in Gaza over the past year.

Israel launched its attack on Gaza following the deadly Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas surprise attack in Israel that killed about 1200 and took another 251 people hostage.

According to Gaza's health ministry more than 42,060 have been killed in Gaza during the war.