Israeli strikes kill 52 in Gaza, including 36 in school-turned shelter

Starting in the Middle East, Israeli airstrikes in Gaza killed at least 52 people, including 36 in a school being used as a shelter.

On Monday, a school-turned-shelter in Gaza City's Daraj neighborhood was hit by an Israeli airstrike.

Hundreds of people were sheltering there at the time.

According to Gaza's Civil Defense, the attack killed at least 36 individuals and injured dozens of others.

The Israeli military stated that the strike aimed at a Hamas and Islamic Jihad command center, believed to be operating within the school premises. They asserted that the facility was being used for planning attacks against Israeli civilians and troops. A separate strike hit a home in northern Gaza, killing at least 16 others.

The recent strikes have drawn international condemnation, including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's caution against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding excessive military actions, and a discussion in Ireland regarding a potential ban on Israeli imports.

On the same day, a new aid system in Gaza opened its first distribution hubs following months of blockade by Israel.