Among those killed in Zawaida in central Gaza are several children, according to the Hamas-controlled civil defense.
According to a spokesperson, people had sought shelter in the building when Israel attacked. Several more are said to be injured and many are still missing.
Israel's military says the country's air force has attacked over 170 targets in the Gaza Strip in the past 24 hours, reports The Times of Israel. Several Hamas members are said to have been killed in the attacks, which are part of Israel's expanded offensive against the extremist movement that controls Gaza. Israel also claims to have destroyed arms depots.
The military is also advancing on the ground in Gaza City. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have fled the city since Israel launched its heavily criticized offensive, but many who cannot or do not want to flee are still there. According to Al Jazeera, the Israeli offensive has now trapped people in the Sabra neighborhood.
On Thursday, Israel's military claims that 700,000 Palestinians have fled Gaza City and headed south since the end of August, reports AFP.
The figures vary depending on the source. The UN's humanitarian coordination organization Ocha says that over 388,000 displacements have been registered since mid-August, most of them from Gaza City.
