An Israeli airstrike has hit a school in central Gaza, killing at least 30 people, Palestinian health officials have said.

The Hamas-run health ministry said another 100 people were wounded.

The attack hit the Khadija girls’ school in Deir al Balah, central Gaza, one of the areas most populated with displaced families.

The Israeli military said it had targeted a Hamas command centre.

It said the school was being used to launch attacks against troops and as a weapons cache and that it had warned civilians beforehand.

Wounded Palestinians have been taken to the nearby al Aqsa Hospital, others arrived there bloodied on foot.

Israel has said Hamas deliberately embeds itself within civilian populations as cover.

Palestinian media said at least 14 people also died in Israeli strikes on Saturday in Khan Younis, in southern Gaza.

Israeli military said it had urged people to temporarily evacuate southern neighbourhoods and relocate to a humanitarian area in al Mawasi so it could “forcibly operate” there.

Gaza health authorities say more than 39,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli strikes – figures which don’t distinguish between fighters and civilians.

About 1,200 Israelis were murdered and more than 200 kidnapped in the Hamas terror attack that started the war.

Israel has pledged to wipe out Hamas but has been strongly criticised over the thousands of deaths – which include many women and children – and accused of not doing enough to limit civilian casualties, claims it denies.

Ongoing talks aimed to agree a ceasefire in exchange for the release of more hostages have so far proved unsuccessful.

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