‘The children were reading the Holy Book of Muslims Quran in the class when the attack took place’.
Palestinian officials say that at least 16 people have been killed and dozens injured in an Israeli airstrike on a school run by the United Nations in the Gaza Strip.
Mahmoud Bisal, spokesman of the Gaza Civil Service, has said in a statement that the number of dead is increasing, and the condition of many injured is terrible.
Eyewitnesses said the attack targeted the upper floors of the school, which is located near a busy market.
A woman at the scene, Sama Abu Amsa, told AFP news agency that the building was targeted when some children were reading the Quran in the classroom and were killed at the same time.
She said that the school had been attacked for the fourth time without any warning.
Ayman Al-Tuna, another person present at the scene, told the news agency that he saw the bodies of many children among the dead. He said, “While we were running to check the targeted area, when we reached here, we saw the bodies of children in pieces.” There was a playground with swings and stalls selling various goods.
According to the Hamas-run Ministry of Health, thousands of homeless people were sheltering in this building located in Nusirat refugee camp.
Hamas says that after the latest five killings, the number of journalists killed has risen to 158.
The attack comes at a time when hopes of an agreement between Israel and Hamas are finally being expressed after months of delays.