Six reported killed in Israeli attack in northern Gaza

At least six people have been killed and others injured in an Israeli attack in northern Gaza, a spokesman for the Hamas-controlled Palestinian civil defence agency said on Thursday.

The spokesman accused Israeli forces of having bombarded a former school building being used to house refugees in Jabalia.

The school was formerly operated by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), which Israeli authorities accuse of harbouring Hamas operatives.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the target was a Hamas command centre in the area which had planned attacks on Israeli civilians. It added that steps were taken ahead of the attack to protect the civilian population.

The IDF accused Hamas of abusing civilian infrastructure and using civilians as human shields. It did not detail casualties.

The IDF also said that the Israeli Air Force hit more than 110 targets over recent days.

The Hamas-controlled health authority in Gaza said 40 people were killed in the past 24 hours, bringing the death toll in the conflict to 51,065.

The war in Gaza broke out when Hamas and other militant Palestinian organizations launched a surprise attack from the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023. Israeli hostages taken during the attack are still being held by Hamas.