The deadly blow comes as Israel faces mounting accusations that it is deliberately targeting journalists in Gaza, which it denies.

According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, at least 128 journalists have been killed in Gaza during Israel’s year-long offensive in the enclave. CPJ has warned that more journalists have been killed in the first 10 weeks of Israel’s offensive in Gaza than have ever been killed in a single country in an entire year.

Earlier this week, the Israel Defense Forces named six journalists working with Al Jazeera, saying they were “exposed as Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists.” CPJ responded to the claim by saying that Israel “has repeatedly made similar unproven claims without producing credible evidence.”

The network also denied the allegations as “a blatant attempt to silence the few remaining journalists in the region.”

Dozens killed in Khan Younis and chaos at the hospital in northern Gaza

Meanwhile in Gaza, the Health Ministry said 38 people were killed and dozens wounded in Israeli attacks on the southern town of Khan Younis. It also said that Israeli forces “have stormed and are present inside”. Kamal Adwan Hospital in Beit Lahia as they continued a deadly assault on the enclave’s north.

The Health Ministry said hundreds of patients, medical staff and displaced Palestinians who had sought shelter at the hospital amid widespread Israeli attacks in northern Gaza were detained by Israeli forces.

“The situation inside the hospital is catastrophic in every sense of the word,” the Ministry of Health said.

The IDF did not immediately respond to a request for comment from NBC News on the situation at the hospital Friday morning.

Israel has waged an intensified week-long offensive in northern Gaza, where the United Nations has warned of a spiraling humanitarian crisis as access to food, water and other vital supplies dwindles.

More than 600 people were killed in the offensive, according to local health officials.

The IDF said on Friday that its forces were continuing their assault on the Jabalia refugee camp, from which thousands have fled amid heavy airstrikes. She said her troops were also active in both southern and central Gaza, where Israeli forces launched a deadly strike Thursday on a school in the Nuseirat refugee camp area.

At least 18 people were killed and 30 injured in the strike, including children and women, Dr. Mohammed Al-Mughair of the Gaza Civil Defense agency told NBC News.

Al-Mughair said the strike appeared to target a prayer hall inside the school, which he said housed a large number of displaced families.

The IDF said its forces were targeting Hamas militants operating inside a “command and control center” in the school compound. The IDF did not say whether any Hamas members were killed in the strike, but said it was “making great efforts to prevent injury to uninvolved civilians.”