PALESTINE – The number of Palestinians killed by Israeli strikes in Gaza today (Friday), is at least 44 as Israeli forces continue airstrikes across the strip.

Medical sources said that a Palestinian waiting for humanitarian aid north of Rafah in southern Gaza was shot dead by Israeli forces.

At least 15 people were killed and around 250 others injured in an Israeli strike on a gathering of civilians waiting for aid trucks near the Zikim area, north of Beit Lahia in northern Gaza.

Shortly before that, two Palestinians were killed in an Israeli airstrike that targeted a house near Abu Habib junction in the Zeitoun neighborhood, southeast of Gaza City.

One of the deadliest attacks targeted Al-Qahira School in Gaza City, where thousands of displaced civilians had sought shelter.

In Gaza City’s Al-Tuffah neighborhood, an Israeli airstrike struck a civilian gathering, killing three Palestinians and injuring others.

In a separate attack, a drone strike hit a tent set up on the roof of Al-Rimal School, which was sheltering displaced people in the Al-Rimal area of Gaza City. One person was killed and several more were wounded, the sources reported.

Eyewitnesses described scenes of panic and destruction as families fled the targeted areas, many of them already displaced by previous Israeli attacks.