A U.N. facility was hit by Israeli tank shells on Thursday, killing at least 15 and wounding dozens more seeking shelter as clashes between the Israeli military and Hamas ramped up on the 17th day of the conflict.
The U.N. was attempting to arrange a humanitarian pause in the fighting in order to evacuate civilians from the U.N. school in the northern town of Beit Hanoun when it was hit.
"We were about to get out of the school, then they hit the school. They kept on shelling it," Kamel al-Kafarne said.
The Israeli military said it was reviewing the incident, and suggested Hamas-launched rockets may be responsible for the deaths, but provided little additional information.
"We can't confirm that this is a result of errant fire. In any case, we do not target U.N. facilities," military spokesman Lt. Col. Peter Lerner said, who said Israel had urged officials to evacuate the school three days earlier.
U.N. staff were among the casualties, said U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who called on Hamas and Israel to respect "the sanctity of civilian life, the inviolability of U.N. premises."
"Today's attack underscores the imperative for the killing to stop — and to stop now," Ban said during a visit to Iraq.
15 dead as Israeli fire hits U.N. facility in Gaza
The U.N. was attempting to arrange a humanitarian pause in the fighting in order to evacuate civilians from the U.N. school in the northern town of Beit Hanoun when it was hit.
"We were about to get out of the school, then they hit the school. They kept on shelling it," Kamel al-Kafarne said.
The Israeli military said it was reviewing the incident, and suggested Hamas-launched rockets may be responsible for the deaths, but provided little additional information.
"We can't confirm that this is a result of errant fire. In any case, we do not target U.N. facilities," military spokesman Lt. Col. Peter Lerner said, who said Israel had urged officials to evacuate the school three days earlier.
U.N. staff were among the casualties, said U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who called on Hamas and Israel to respect "the sanctity of civilian life, the inviolability of U.N. premises."
"Today's attack underscores the imperative for the killing to stop — and to stop now," Ban said during a visit to Iraq.
15 dead as Israeli fire hits U.N. facility in Gaza