At least 16 people have been killed and dozens more injured in an air strike on a school in the Gaza Strip, according to Palestinian officials. The attack happened at the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, where the school was serving as a shelter for thousands of displaced people. The Israeli military has confirmed that they are investigating the incident.

Eyewitnesses reported that the air strike targeted the upper floors of the school, which is located near a busy market. It has been revealed that approximately 7,000 individuals were seeking refuge in the building at the time of the attack. While some local sources claim that the target was a room used by Hamas police, this information has not been verified by the BBC.

This tragic incident comes at a time when hopes were rising for a potential agreement between Israel and Hamas. Many schools and other UN facilities have been utilized as shelters by the 1.7 million people who have been displaced during the ongoing conflict, which has lasted close to eight months. It is important to note that a previous attack in June on another UN-run school in Nuseirat had resulted in the deaths of at least 35 people.

After the June attack, Israel's military had stated that they had targeted a Hamas compound in the school, claiming to have killed numerous fighters. However, this claim was denied by Gaza's Hamas-run Government Media Office, which accused Israel of carrying out a "horrific massacre". The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, who oversees the school, labeled the incident as "horrific" and expressed shock at the possibility of armed groups using a shelter.

The war between Israel and Hamas was sparked by a significant attack on Israel by Hamas-led gunmen on October 7. This attack resulted in the death of around 1,200 people and the capture of 251 others. Since then, at least 38,098 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza as a result of Israel's offensive, as reported by the territory's Hamas-run health ministry.

The issue of Israeli settlements on Palestinian land, which has been a point of contention, has led to the loss of former strongholds by a political party to independent candidates campaigning for Palestine. Additionally, recent reports suggest that a potential agreement between the US and Hamas has surfaced, with the US president welcoming this decision.

This latest air strike highlights the challenges faced by the civilian population in Gaza and further underscores the urgent need for a peaceful resolution to the conflict.