Israel’s military assault on Gaza is coming under increasing international scrutiny after 15 people, mostly women and children, were killed at a UN run school on Thursday. <br /><br />200 others who had sought refuge were also injured in the strike, some severely. <br /><br />Reports claim the shelter in Beit Hanoun had been hit by an Israeli tank shell.<br /><br />The UN’s Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon condemned the attack.<br /><br />“I was shocked and appalled by what has happened in the Beit Hanoun UN school. It is totally unacceptable. I have condemned strongly. I’m telling to the parties — both Israelis and Hamas, Palestinians — that it’s morally wrong to kill your own people,” Ban said. <br /><br />Despite a warning by Israel’s army to leave the school, the shelter was hit before anyone could. <br /><br />The UN says it is the fourth time in four days that one of its schools in Gaza has been hit.<br /><br />Among the dead was a mother and her one-year-old baby. <br /><br />Israel, however, insisted it does not target civilians. <br /><br />Israel’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman Yigal Palmor said: “Why is this fighting going on and why do we see the pictures that we see? I think there is a simple explanation that was provided by the EU foreign ministers in their statement a couple of days ago. Hamas is using its own civilians, Palestinian civilians as human shields.”<br /><br />Tens of thousands of Palestinians have fled and been displaced by the fighting in Gaza, many seeking shelter in UN run buildings. <br /><br />Despite that, Israel shows no signs of ending its 18 day offensive anytime soon. On Friday, it deployed tanks and troops closer to the Gaza border.
