In a tragic turn of events, at least 16 Palestinians have been killed and 50 others injured during an Israeli attack on UNRWA's Al-Jaouni school in the al-Nuseirat camp in central Gaza. The attack took place on Saturday, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health in the strip.

Eye-witnesses reported that children were among the injured victims. A displaced father, while holding his little daughter, expressed his grief, questioning why innocent children had to suffer. He highlighted the fact that even the school, which was meant to be a safe haven, proved to be vulnerable.

CNN footage captured several injured children being rushed to a nearby hospital following the attack. The Israeli military released a statement, claiming that militants were using structures in the school area as hideouts and operational bases to carry out attacks against IDF troops in Gaza.

The UNRWA Communication Director, Juliette Touma, informed CNN that the organization does not yet have complete information about the incident. However, she stated that half of UNRWA's facilities in Gaza have been targeted since October 7, resulting in the deaths of at least 500 people, with women and children being among the victims.

The timing of this tragic event adds further complexity to the situation, as progress was seemingly being made in hostage release and truce negotiations. A senior Hamas official told CNN that the militant group was willing to reconsider its demand for a permanent ceasefire from Israel, indicating a potential willingness to sign an agreement for a temporary truce and initiate the process for releasing hostages.

Meanwhile, in Tel Aviv's Democracy Square, thousands of protesters gathered to demand new elections and the release of hostages, expressing discontent with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's handling of issues, including the war in Gaza. Israeli police reported the arrest of two protesters for violations of public order and unsafe behavior during the demonstration, including lighting bonfires on the road. While the protests have yet to alter the political landscape significantly, Netanyahu maintains a stable majority in parliament.

The Israeli police reiterated their zero-tolerance policy towards any disruptions of public order and disobedience of their instructions. In response to protesters blocking traffic on the Ayalon Highway, water cannons were deployed to disperse the crowd. The chairman of Israel's National Unity and former war cabinet minister, Benny Gantz, was observed participating in a rally calling for the return of the hostages.

As the situation in Gaza remains tense and the political landscape in Israel undergoes continued scrutiny and discontent, the tragic attack on the Gaza school serves as a grim reminder of the ongoing turmoil and human suffering in the region.