UNITED NATIONS: An Israeli strike on a UN shelter in Gaza on Thursday killed 15 people and injured almost 200 others.

A United Nations spokesman said that Israel carried out the strike even after the coordinates of the school, which was serving as a shelter for families in Gaza, had been given to its military.

The spokesman, Mr Chris Gunness, tweeted that coordinates of the shelter in Beit Hanoun had been provided to the Israeli army before the strike as a precaution, an effort to prevent a strike on it. The shelter is in an area in northern Gaza that has been the scene of tremendous violence recently.

The UN tried twice to coordinate with Israelis to evacuate the shelter ahead of the strike, he said.

Mr Gunness posted: “Precise coordinates of the UNRWA shelter in Beit Hanoun had been formally given to the Israeli army” and then minutes later tweeted: “Over the course of the day UNRWA tried 2 coodinate with the Israeli Army a window for civilians 2 leave & it was never granted .”

Thursday’s hit at the shelter is just the latest violence that has raged for more than three weeks between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. Hundreds have died, including many children.

News of Thursday’s strike on the shelter also comes as the Israeli military said the number of airstrikes it was launching had been lowered.—Masood Haider

Published in Dawn, July 25th, 2014