Israeli forces carried out the attack just hours after remarks by a senior U.S. official suggested a possible ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas might be on the horizon.
Medics at al-Awda Hospital in the north of the enclave and al-Aqsa Hospital in central Gaza reported receiving a total of 25 bodies and treating over 40 injured, most of them children. They said nearby houses were also damaged in the strike. Photographs circulating online showed a collapsed structure amid heavy smoke and rubble, as residents searched through the debris.
There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military.
This latest incident comes as Israel wages a prolonged offensive against Hamas in the densely populated coastal territory following a deadly attack by the militant group on southern Israel in October 2023.
According to the Gaza Health Ministry, more than 44,800 Palestinians—over half of them women and children—have been killed since the start of the conflict, while Israeli authorities say they have eliminated thousands of militants without providing detailed evidence.
The war has plunged Gaza into a severe humanitarian crisis. Aid agencies warn of imminent famine, and the United Nations says its work is hampered by Israeli restrictions and chaotic conditions resulting from repeated Israeli strikes on the Hamas-run police force. Israel insists it allows sufficient aid into Gaza and blames Hamas for mismanagement, while accusing the group of hiding among civilians.
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Source: PAP, Euronews