Israel struck an ambulance in Gaza City on Friday that it said was carrying Hamas terrorists but which local health officials claimed was transporting wounded civilians.‌

The enclave’s Hamas-run health ministry said the vehicle was evacuating injured people from the north to the south of the Gaza Strip and was part of a convoy that Israel targeted leaving al-Shifa Hospital.

‌Ashraf al-Qidra, the ministry spokesman, said a “big number” of people had been killed and wounded, but did not provide specific figures.

Footage on social media showed what appeared to be several dead and injured people strewn around the ambulance, among them women and young men in civilian clothes. Blood was pooled nearby.

Israel’s military said it had identified and struck an ambulance “being used by a Hamas terrorist cell” in the battle zone.

It said a number of Hamas terrorists had been killed in the strike and accused the group of transferring personnel and weapons in ambulances.‌

Mr Qidra said Israel had targeted the convoy of ambulances in more than one location, including at al-Shifa Hospital gate and at Ansar Square 0.6 miles away.

Israel provided no immediate evidence to support its assertion that the ambulance was linked to Hamas but said in a statement it intended to release additional information.

‘Utterly shocked’

 Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director-general of the World Health Organisation, said he was “utterly shocked by reports of attacks on ambulances evacuating patients”, adding that patients, health workers and medical facilities must be protected.

Earlier on Friday, Mr Qidra said ambulances would transport critically injured Palestinians who urgently need to be taken to Egypt to be treated from Gaza City to the south of the enclave.

Israel, which has accused Hamas of concealing command centres and tunnel entrances in al-Shifa hospital, ordered all civilians to leave the north of Gaza last month and its military encircled the area on Thursday.

Despite its order for civilians to leave northern areas of Gaza, Israel’s military has continued to bombard the south of the strip as well.

Hamas and al-Shifa hospital authorities have denied the facility is used as a base by the group.