Israel strikes two schools in Gaza, killing at least 30

The Israeli Air Force struck the grounds of two schools in the Gaza Strip on August 4, targeting militants from the Palestinian movement Hamas.

According to the Palestinian Civil Defense, the airstrikes resulted in the deaths of at least 30 people, continuing a bloody weekend following a similar lethal attack on August 3, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the Israel Security Agency have claimed responsibility for the strike, stating that their objective was to eliminate "terrorists operating inside Hamas command and control centres" that were "embedded" within the school buildings.

The IDF has not disclosed the number of Hamas members and civilians killed in the strike, nor have they confirmed whether civilians were warned prior to the attack.

Local journalist reports indicate that three floors of the northern wing of Al-Nasr School were destroyed, along with the ground floor of the adjacent Hassan Salama School. These schools housed hundreds of displaced individuals, primarily women and children, in a densely populated residential area.

Palestinian officials have asserted that Israel provided no warning to civilians before the airstrikes took place.

The Ministry of Health in Gaza reported that the death toll from Israeli military action since October 7 has reached 39,583, with an additional 91,398 people injured. The recent airstrikes are part of Israel's ongoing military response to Hamas attacks that killed approximately 1,200 people.