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Strike on Gaza school 'kills 40' | Strike on Gaza school 'kills 40' |
(30 minutes later) | |
At least 40 people have been killed in an Israeli air strike on a United Nations-run school in the Gaza Strip, Palestinian medical sources have said. | At least 40 people have been killed in an Israeli air strike on a United Nations-run school in the Gaza Strip, Palestinian medical sources have said. |
A number of children were among those who died when the al-Fakhura school in the Jabaliya refugee camp took a direct hit, doctors at nearby hospitals said. | |
People inside had been taking refuge from the Israeli ground offensive. | People inside had been taking refuge from the Israeli ground offensive. |
Earlier, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) warned of a "full-blown humanitarian crisis" in Gaza. | Earlier, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) warned of a "full-blown humanitarian crisis" in Gaza. |
Speaking on the 11th day of the Israeli assault, a senior ICRC official, Pierre Kraehenbuhl, said life in Gaza had become intolerable. | Speaking on the 11th day of the Israeli assault, a senior ICRC official, Pierre Kraehenbuhl, said life in Gaza had become intolerable. |
Palestinian medical sources say up to 600 people have been killed since the attacks began, and Mr Kraehenbuhl said much more needed to be done to protect civilians. | Palestinian medical sources say up to 600 people have been killed since the attacks began, and Mr Kraehenbuhl said much more needed to be done to protect civilians. |
At least 70 Palestinians were killed on Tuesday, while four Israeli soldiers were killed by fire from their own tanks. | |
'Horrific' | |
Witnesses said at least one Israeli missile had struck the al-Fakhura school on Tuesday afternoon, causing a large explosion and spraying shrapnel on people both inside and outside the building. | |
Hundreds of people had sought refuge inside the UN-run school in effort to escape the fighting between Israeli soldiers and militants on the outskirts of the refugee camp, to the east of Gaza City. | |
Head of Unrwa John Ging: 'The international community has a responsibility to act' | |
Television footage showed bodies scattered on the ground amid pools of blood. | |
Casualties were taken to two hospitals. Doctors at the Kamal Adwan hospital in Beit Lahiya said 30 people had died there. | |
A further 10 people died at the al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City, doctors said. | |
The number of casualties is expected to rise. | |
The Israeli military has not yet commented on the incident, but it has in the past accused militants of using schools, mosques and residential areas for cover. | |
This is the second Israeli air strike on a UN-run school in a day. Earlier, at least three Palestinians were killed when a school was hit in the Bureij camp, UN officials said. | |
After the first attack, the director of the UN aid agency Unrwa, John Ging, said the conditions in Gaza were "horrific". | |
"Nowhere is safe for civilians here in Gaza at the moment. They are fleeing their homes and they are right to do it when you look at the casualty numbers." | |
"It's very, very dangerous, and even the 14,000 who have sought refuge in our schools and shelters, they are not safe either." | |
Mr Ging said international leaders had a responsibility to act to protect civilians. | |
"You cannot conduct huge military operations in such densely-populated places without killing hundreds and injuring thousands of civilians," he added. | |
Information about what is happening inside Gaza is limited as Israel has barred foreign reporters from entering. |