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Gaza health officials said 15 people were killed in an Israeli air strike on an ambulance that the military said targeted Hamas militants, and Washington's top diplomat was due to hear Arab demands for a ceasefire in a meeting on Saturday in Jordan, reports Reuters.
The ambulance hit by the Israeli strike was part of a convoy carrying injured Palestinians at Gaza's biggest hospital, al-Shifa, health officials in the Hamas-run enclave said on Friday.
"Upon their arrival to al-Shifa, (Israel) directly targeted the convoy's second vehicle, committing a terrible massacre that claimed the lives of 15 and wounded more than 60," health ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qidra said.
Israel's military said it had identified and hit an ambulance "being used by an Hamas terrorist cell" and that several Hamas fighters were killed.
"We emphasise that this area is a battle zone. Civilians in the area are repeatedly called upon to evacuate southwards for their own safety," the military said.
The Hamas-controlled Palestinian health ministry challenged Israel over the bombing of the ambulance and demanded it provide proof that the ambulance was carrying militants.
"The occupation conducted an ugly massacre in which... 15 people were martyred and 60 other people were wounded including a number of the displaced,” al-Qidra said.
The Israeli military gave no evidence to support its assertion that the ambulance was linked to Hamas but said it intended to release additional information.