Israeli Airstrike Kills at Least 20 People Including Children at a School in Central Gaza

Global Conflicts

By Associated Press

Published 8 months ago on

October 13, 2024

An Israeli Apache helicopter flies past the sun, near the Israeli-Lebanon border, as seen from northern Israel, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. (AP/Leo Correa)

An Israeli airstrike killed at least 20, including children, at a shelter in central Gaza, according to local hospitals.
A Hezbollah drone attack on an Israeli army base killed four soldiers, marking the deadliest strike since Israel's invasion of Lebanon.
The U.S. announced the deployment of a new air-defense system to Israel to bolster missile protection amid escalating regional conflict.

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DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — An Israeli airstrike has killed at least 20 people including children at a school-turned-shelter in central Gaza, according to local hospitals.

Sunday night’s strike also killed two women in Nuseirat. The school was sheltering some of the many Palestinians displaced by the yearlong war in Gaza.

The bodies were taken to Al-Awda hospital in Nuseirat and Al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital in Deir al Balah.

Israel’s bombardment and its ground invasion of Gaza have killed over 42,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which doesn’t distinguish between militants or civilians.

AP’s earlier story follows below.

A Hezbollah drone attack on an army base in central Israel killed four soldiers and severely wounded seven others Sunday, the military said, in the deadliest strike by the militant group since Israel launched its ground invasion of Lebanon nearly two weeks ago.

The military statement came shortly after Israel’s national rescue service said the attack wounded 61.

The Lebanon-based Hezbollah earlier claimed responsibility and called the attack near Binyamina city retaliation for Israeli strikes on Beirut on Thursday that killed 22 people. It later said it targeted Israel’s elite Golani brigade, launching dozens of missiles to occupy Israeli air defense systems during the assault by “squadrons” of drones.

Hezbollah and Israel have traded fired almost daily in the year since the war in Gaza began, and fighting has escalated.

With Israel’s advanced air-defense systems, it’s rare for so many people to be hurt by drones or missiles. Israeli media reported that two drones were launched from Lebanon, and the military said one was intercepted.

It was the second time in two days a drone has struck in Israel. On Saturday, during the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, one hit a Tel Aviv suburb, causing no injuries.

The latest strike came the same day that the United States announced it would send a new air-defense system to Israel to help bolster protection against missiles, along with troops needed to operate it. An Israeli army spokesperson declined to provide a timeline.

Israel is now at war with Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon — both Iran-backed militant groups — and is expected to strike Iran in retaliation for a missile attack earlier this month. Iran has said it will respond to any Israeli attack.