Israel Hamas war: Israeli strikes hit Gaza schools, hospital; nations advise citizens to leave Lebanon

The military claimed that an Israeli attack had hit Hamas command centres, but Gaza's civil defence service said that the strike had struck two schools in Gaza City on Sunday, killing at least 30 people.

Based on a count of tolls previously provided by Hamas officials, these make up the total number of schools in Gaza that have been attacked since July 6 at least 11, killing around 150 people.

"The number of martyrs in the massacre of the Hassan Salameh and Al-Nasr schools' bombing has risen to 30. Dozens were also wounded," civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP.

According to a civil defence spokesman, women and children made up the majority of the wounded and deceased. He stated that the schools housed Palestinians who had been displaced as a result of the continuing conflict between Israel and Hamas terrorists. The two schools were the target of an attack that was verified by the Israeli military.

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The Israeli military said in a statement, "The schools were used by Hamas' Al-Furqan Battalion as a hiding place for its terrorist operatives and as command centres."

According to the civil defence agency, a similar Israeli attack happened on Saturday in Gaza City, hitting another school compound and killing at least 17 people.

Hamas has been accused by the Israeli military on many occasions of hiding its commanders and militants and utilising civilian buildings as command and control centres. Hamas refutes these accusations

According to an AFP count based on official Israeli data, 1,197 people, mostly civilians, lost their lives in the October 7 attack by Hamas militants in Israel, which marked the start of the Gaza War.

Militants also abducted 251 persons, 111 of whom are still hostages in Gaza, including 39 who the IDF claims are dead. The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza, claims that Israel's retaliation has killed at least 39,583 people.

Nations advise citizens to leave Lebanon as war fears surge

On Sunday, the urgency for foreign nationals to leave Lebanon intensified, with France warning of a tense situation as Iran and its allies prepared to react to high-profile killings attributed to Israel.

Saudi Arabia, along with France, Canada, and Jordan, urged their citizens to leave Lebanon. The United States and Britain issued similar warnings.

France also advised its nationals in Iran to "temporarily leave," citing potential closures of Iranian airspace and airports.

Several Western airlines have halted flights to Lebanon and other regional airports. Qatar Airways announced on Sunday that its Doha-Beirut route would "operate exclusively during daylight hours" at least until Monday.

Hezbollah, Lebanon's Iran-backed militant group, which has been engaging in almost daily skirmishes with Israeli forces since the Gaza conflict started in October, declared that its fighters launched a new rocket barrage at northern Israel overnight into Sunday.

US says it's prepared for 'every possibility' as Middle East tensions rise

After the Pentagon announced an increased US military presence in the Middle East, White House Deputy National Security Adviser Jon Finer affirmed, "We are preparing for every possibility."

Speaking on ABC News, Finer added, "The Pentagon is moving significant assets to the region, to prepare for what may be another need to defend Israel from an attack, while simultaneously we are working very hard to deescalate this situation diplomatically because we do not believe that a regional war is in anyone's interest in the current moment."

(With inputs from agencies)