Forty people were killed and 73 were wounded in an Israeli attack on the Nuseirat school in the Gaza Strip, the director of the Gaza government media office Ismail Al-Thawabta and a Gaza health ministry official has told Reuters.

The two officials added that 14 children and 9 women were killed in the strike.

Earlier, UNRWA communications director Juliette Touma told Reuters that the number of those reported killed in the Israeli offensive on the Nuseirat school was between 35 and 45, adding the number could not be confirmed at this stage.

The Israeli military claimed it assessed that there were 20-30 fighters located in the United Nations Palestinian refugee agency school.