At least 30 people were killed in an Israeli overnight attack in the Gaza Strip, Palestinian media reported Monday, as the Israeli air force said it targeted a command centre of the Palestinian militant organization Hamas.

Most of the dead were women and children, Palestinian news agency WAFA reported, adding the attack also left dozens injured.

The Israeli military said the target was located in a building in northern Gaza City that had previously served as a school.

According to WAFA, the building had housed displaced people, with tents catching fire during the attack.

The information from both sides could not initially be independently verified.

The Israeli military said the strike was aimed at Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists who were planning attacks against Israeli forces inside Gaza and on Israeli territory.

Many steps were taken prior to the “precise strike” to reduce civilian casualties, it added.

The military described this as another example of the systematic abuse of civilian infrastructure and humanitarian protection zones by Hamas, stating that this violated international law.