Six UN aid workers killed after Israeli airstrike on Gaza school

Six UN aid workers have been killed in an Israeli air strike on a school in central Gaza, according to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees.

Hospital officials say a total of 34 people were killed by the strikes that hit a UN school sheltering displaced Palestinian families, as well as two homes, on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The Israeli military says it targeted the school in central Gaza because Hamas militants were planning attacks from there. The claim could not be independently confirmed.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine (UNRWA) said the six members of staff who were killed, including the manager of the shelter, were aiding the displaced.

“Humanitarian staff, premises & operations have been blatantly & unabatedly disregarded since the beginning of the war,” the agency's director, Philippe Lazzarini, wrote on X.

Subscribe free to our weekly newsletter for exclusive and original coverage from ITV News. Direct to your inbox every Friday morning.

More than 90% of Gaza’s school buildings have been severely or partially damaged in strikes, and more than half the schools housing displaced people have been hit, according to a survey in July by the Education Cluster, a collection of aid groups led by UNICEF and Save the Children.

The war in Gaza has now entered its 11th month, with tens of thousands of people dead. International efforts to mediate a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas have repeatedly stalled as they accuse each other of making additional and unacceptable demands.

The West Bank also has seen a surge in violence: Israel has stepped up its military raids there, saying it is working to dismantle militant groups and prevent increasing militant attacks on Israelis.

One airstrike on Wednesday killed five people the military said were militants threatening its troops. A second strike on a car killed at least three people, the Palestinian Health Ministry said.

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know...