Gaza war: Israel expands evacuation orders in Gaza Strip following school attack

The Israeli military expanded evacuation orders in the Gaza Strip'sKhan Younis late Saturday (Aug 10),forcing tens of thousands of Palestinian residents and displaced families to leave asexplosions from tank shelling reverberated around them.

According to a report by the news agency Reuters, the military saidit was attacking Hamas militantswho were using those areas to stage attacks and fire rockets. Reuters reported that in Khan Yunis, the evacuation ordercovered districts in the centre, east and west, making it one of the largest such orders in the 10-month-old war.

"For your own safety, you must evacuate immediately to the newly created humanitarian zone. The area you are in is considered a dangerous combat zone," the military said in a post on X.

Israeli strike on Gaza school kills nearly 100

The Israeli military's announcement came hours after an Israeli strike on the Al-Tabin school complexcompound housing displaced Palestinian families killed around 100 people, theGaza Civil Emergency Service said.

Video from the site showed body parts scattered among the rubble and more bodies being carried away and covered by blankets. Empty food tins lay in a puddle of blood and burned mattresses and a child's doll lay in the debris, Reuters reported.

The Israeli strike drew international condemnation from Arab states, Turkey, France, Britain and the European Union (EU) and an expression of deep concern from the United States (US).

The Israeli military said that the death toll from the strike was inflatedand 19 militants were among the dead."The strike was carried out using three precise munitions, which can not cause the amount of damage that is being reported," it said in a statement.

Since the Gaza war began in October last year, tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians have sought shelter in Gaza'sschools, most of which have been closed once the fighting started.

According to Palestinian officials, around 350 families had been sheltering at the Al-Tabin school complex compound.

New ceasefire talks on August 15

Egypt, the United States and Qatar have scheduled a new round of ceasefire negotiations for Thursday (Aug 15), as fears grow of a broader conflict involving Iran and Hezbollah following the assassination of a top Hezbollah commander.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has said he will not end the war until Hamas no longer poses a threat to Israelis, said he would send a delegation.

(With inputs from agencies)