There are calls for greater efforts to protect civilians in the Gaza conflict after shelling killed more than a dozen people and wounded hundreds more at a United Nations school serving as a shelter.
It's still unclear whether the attack, which claimed the lives of at least 15 Palestinians and injured at least 200 more, was the fault of the Israeli Army or Palestinian militants.
The Gaza health ministry said Israeli shelling was to blame, while an Israeli military source has told Al Jazeera that Palestinian rocket fire had been detected in the area.
Israeli military spokesman Peter Lerner said the details of the latest tragedy are still emerging and that the Israeli army would investigate the attack.
"We know that between 2 o'clock and 4 o'clock there was an extensive battle in and around the facilities ... a few hundred metres between the gunmen who were shooting anti-tank missiles, all different types of things," he said. "And we also know that, during that same period of time, there was rocket fire emerging from the Gaza Strip by Hamas terrorists."
UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) spokesman Chris Gunness said on Twitter that "precise coordinates of the UNRWA shelter in Beit Hanoun had been formally given to the Israeli army".
And in a separate tweet, he added: "Over the course of the day, UNRWA tried 2 (sic) coordinate with the Israeli army a window for civilians 2 leave and it was never granted."
It is the fourth time at UN facility has been hit since the Israeli offensive into Gaza began on July 8.
The United States has not explicitly blamed its ally Israel for the shelling, but State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki urged all parties to "redouble their efforts to protect civilians",
"We are deeply saddened and concerned about the tragic incident," Ms Psaki said in Cairo where Secretary of State John Kerry is trying to negotiate a ceasefire.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, meanwhile, said he was "appalled" by and "strongly condemned" the shelling of the UN school.
"Today's attack underscores the imperative for the killing to stop - and to stop now," he said in the statement.
After one of the bloodiest periods of the Gaza conflict, the total number of Palestinian deaths now exceeds 800, while at least 33 Israelis - most of them soldiers - have been killed.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has met with new British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond as talks of a ceasefire remain stalled.
There's been little clarification of what framework any eventual ceasefire might take, but Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal says any end to the fighting must be accompanied by a lifting of the blockade on Gaza.
Mr Hammond has repeated that Britain is concerned about the number of civilian deaths but supports Israel's right to defend itself.
"Britain has also been very clear that Israel has the right to defend itself and its citizens. But we are gravely concerned by the ongoing heavy level of civilian casualties. We want to see a ceasefire quickly agreed," he said.
For his part, Mr Netanyahu condemned the UN decision to investigate alleged war crimes by Israel in Gaza.
He said Israel is being unfairly demonised and Hamas is the real villain.
"This use of human shields is extraordinarily cynical, is grotesque, is inhumane, but what is equally grotesque is that Israel was condemned in the Human Rights Council. It's a travesty of justice, it's a travesty of fairness, it's a travesty of commonsense, it's a travesty of truth," Mr Netanyahu said.
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