More than 100 Palestinians were killed and many others injured in an Israeli airstrike on a school in Gaza, which was being used as a shelter for displaced individuals, the Gaza government controlled by Hamas reported on Saturday. The Israeli military stated that the airstrike targeted a Hamas command center.

The attack occurred as people at the school were conducting dawn prayers, resulting in numerous casualties, according to a statement from the Hamas media office. Medics had not yet been able to recover all the bodies, the statement added. Gaza health authorities had not immediately provided information.

The Israeli military explained in a statement that its air force struck a command and control center where Hamas commanders and operatives were hiding. They claimed measures were taken to minimize civilian harm, including using precise munitions, aerial surveillance, and intelligence. The military did not immediately respond to the casualty reports from Gaza.

Israel launched its offensive on Gaza with the aim of eliminating Hamas after fighters from the Islamist group attacked southern Israel on October 7, resulting in the deaths of 1,200 people, primarily civilians, and the capture of over 250 hostages, according to Israeli figures.

Since then, the Palestinian health ministry reported nearly 40,000 Palestinian deaths due to the Israeli offensive in Gaza, without differentiating between combatants and civilians. Health officials noted that most casualties were civilians. Israel, which reported 329 losses in Gaza, stated that at least a third of the Palestinian deaths were fighters.

Efforts to revive Gaza ceasefire talks are underway, with the United States, Egypt, and Qatar scheduling new negotiations for Thursday amid growing concerns of a wider conflict involving Iran and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah. Tehran is also a supporter of Hamas.