“Children and schools should never be targets. This isn’t a matter of opinion — it’s international law,” she said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Friday.

The World Health Organisation director general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, was shocked by reports of attacks on ambulances evacuating patients close to the hospital.

The Israeli military confirmed it targeted an ambulance outside Gaza’s largest hospital Friday, claiming it was being used by Hamas militants while health officials said it was transporting the wounded.

“I continue my call for a ceasefire,” Malala said and demanded that the Israeli government should end such attacks that have cost thousands of Palestinian children and families their lives.

In the aftermath of the strike, the AFP journalist saw a child being carried away and a dead horse tied to a cart beside a blood-splattered Palestinian Red Crescent ambulance.

The Israeli military said it had launched an air strike on “an ambulance that was identified by forces as being used by a Hamas terrorist cell in close proximity to their position in the battle zone”.

“A number of Hamas terrorist operatives were killed in the strike,” a military statement said.

(With input from AFP)