GAZA STRIP: The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said at least 15 people were killed Saturday when Israel struck a United Nations school where thousands of displaced Palestinians were sheltering.

"The massacre at the Al-Fakhura school committed by the occupation (Israel) this morning left 15 martyrs and 70 wounded," ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra said at a press conference.

The ministry had earlier said that 12 people had been killed and 54 wounded.

US, Arab leaders to meet over Gaza as Palestinian deaths mount

There was no immediate comment from Israel, and AFP was unable to independently confirm the toll.

There was also no immediate comment from the UN aid agency supporting Palestinian refugees, UNRWA.

On Thursday, UNRWA said that four its schools in the Gaza Strip housing people displaced by the war had been damaged by bombings.