DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — An Israeli airstrike targeted a school in Gaza City early on Saturday, which was being used as a shelter, resulting in the deaths of over 100 people, according to Palestinian health authorities. This incident marks one of the most devastating attacks in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, which has now persisted for 10 months.
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Details of the Attack
The Israeli military confirmed the strike on the Tabeen school, located in central Gaza City. They asserted that the school, which had been converted into a shelter, was housing a Hamas command center. However, the military has not provided concrete evidence to substantiate this claim. In response, Hamas has denied the presence of any militants at the location.
The attack occurred in the early morning hours before sunrise, targeting the school while people were inside praying at a mosque. Witnesses, including Abu Anas, described the chaos as the first and second missiles struck without any prior warning, causing severe destruction. Video footage from the scene depicted walls blown out, debris scattered, and blood-soaked floors, with concrete chunks and twisted metal among the wreckage.
Casualties and Damage
Fadel Naeem, the director of al-Ahli hospital in Gaza City, reported that the facility had received 70 bodies from the attack and the remains of at least 10 more individuals. Additionally, 47 people were reported injured, with some suffering severe burns and requiring amputations. Naeem described the injuries as among the most severe encountered during the ongoing conflict.
The attack resulted in significant damage to the school and the mosque within. Mahmoud Bassal, a spokesperson for Civil Defense first responders under the Hamas-run local government, noted that about 6,000 displaced individuals were taking refuge in the building at the time of the strike. Many of the deceased were unrecognizable, and Bassal expects the death toll to increase as recovery efforts continue.
Increasing Attacks on Schools
The United Nations Human Rights Office released a report stating that in the previous month alone, there had been at least 17 attacks on schools, seven of which occurred in the preceding eight days. These attacks reportedly killed 163 people, many of them women and children. The U.N. highlighted that many of these schools were serving as shelters, and under international law, Israel is obligated to ensure the safety of displaced individuals.
International Reactions
The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, condemned the strikes on schools, calling them “massacres” with no justification. The U.N. reported that as of July 6, 477 out of 564 schools in Gaza had been directly hit or damaged by the ongoing conflict.
On Thursday, Israeli military actions resulted in the targeting of two additional schools in eastern Gaza City, causing at least 15 more casualties, according to hospital officials. Israel has attributed civilian casualties to Hamas, alleging that the group uses schools and residential areas as operational bases.
Israeli and Palestinian Responses
Israeli military intelligence claimed that approximately 20 militants from Hamas and Islamic Jihad, including senior commanders, were using the Tabeen school for planning attacks on Israeli forces. Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, an Israeli military spokesperson, indicated that the targeted school was adjacent to a mosque serving as a shelter. However, a cameraman from The Associated Press reported that the mosque and school were located in the same building, with the mosque on the ground floor and the school above it.
The airstrike occurred amid renewed efforts by American, Qatari, and Egyptian mediators to broker a cease-fire agreement. Egypt, a key mediator, and Jordan have condemned the attack, with Jordan describing it as a “blatant violation” of international law. Qatar has called for an international investigation, labeling the incident a “heinous crime” against civilians.
Further Casualties
On Friday, two separate airstrikes in central Gaza resulted in the deaths of at least 13 people, including three children and seven women. One strike hit a house in the Nuseirat refugee camp, killing seven individuals, mostly women. Another strike targeted a house in Deir al-Balah, resulting in six deaths, including a woman and her three children.
The ongoing conflict has resulted in significant casualties, with more than 39,790 Palestinians reported dead and over 92,000 injured, according to the Health Ministry. The war, which began following a Hamas attack on October 7, has displaced more than 1.9 million of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents, many of whom now reside in overcrowded tent camps along the Gaza coast.
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