UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has said that he was “deeply shocked” that two UN schools were struck in less than 24 hours in the Gaza Strip, killing and injuring dozens of people many women and children “as they were seeking safety in United Nations premises”, Reuters reports.

“Hundreds of thousands of Palestinian civilians are seeking shelter at United Nations facilities throughout Gaza due to the intensified fighting. I reaffirm that our premises are inviolable,” Guterres said in a statement.

He said the fighting in Gaza was causing a “staggering and unacceptable number of civilian casualties” and again called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire.