Gaza - The Palestinian Red Crescent said an Israeli air strike on a Gaza school killed at least 28 people on Thursday.

"Palestine Red Crescent teams responded to 28 fatalities and 54 injuries following the Israeli occupation army's targeting of Rafida School," the organization said, referring to a school in Deir el-Balah.

Gaza's health ministry issued the same death toll in a statement.

The Israeli army claimed in a statement that the strike targeted Palestinian combatants operating from a command-and-control center "embedded inside a compound that previously served as the (Rafida) School."

Joke of the Day Joke of the Day for October 9, 2024: The best jokes to get your funny on

Thursday's attack was the latest in a series of Israeli strikes on school buildings housing displaced Palestinians in Gaza, over one year into the genocide.

On September 26, at least 15 people were killed in another school-turned-shelter strike in northern Gaza's Jabalia camp, according to Gaza civil defense agency.

The Israeli military is currently engaged in an intense operation in Jabaliya.

Israel has slaughtered at least 42,065 Palestinians since last October, according to data provided by the territory's health ministry – figures the United Nations have acknowledged to be reliable.

The true number of casualties in Gaza is assumed to be far higher and is only expected to grow as Israel continues its brutal bombardment, invasion, and blockade on humanitarian aid.