An Israeli airstrike on Thursday killed at least 27 Palestinians sheltering at a school in northern Gaza and wounded 70 more, said Health Ministry spokesman Zaher al-Wahidi, as Israeli forces have expanded their strikes and evacuation orders across the war-torn territory in recent days.

The bodies of 14 children and five women were recovered from the school in the Tuffah neighbourhood of Gaza City, and the death toll could still rise because some of the wounded had critical injuries, al-Wahidi said.

The Israeli military said it struck a “Hamas command and control centre” in the Gaza City area, and said it took steps to lessen harm to civilians. It was not immediately clear if the military statement was referring to the strike on the school.

Israel gave the same reason -- striking Hamas militants in a “command and control centre” -- for attacking a United Nations building used as a shelter on Wednesday, killing at least 17 people.