In the northern part of Gaza, an Israeli airstrike hit a school where thousands of displaced Palestinians sought shelter. The attack resulted in the death of at least 11 individuals, including women and children, while 22 others sustained injuries, as reported by the Health Ministry in the territory. The Israeli military claimed that the strike targeted Hamas militants inside the Jabalia refugee camp school who were allegedly planning attacks on Israeli troops, although this assertion could not be verified independently.
Rescuers were seen evacuating casualties from the al-Falouja School amidst extensive debris and a large number of people. Distressing footage displayed individuals wrapping a severely damaged torso and collecting body parts into a cooler.
The Gaza Health Ministry did not promptly disclose the specific number of women and children among the casualties. Israeli forces have repeatedly targeted schools, contending that Hamas utilizes them as “command centers” for organizing assaults. The military maintains that it employs precise weaponry to minimize civilian harm.
These airstrikes have led to significant loss of life. With tens of thousands of Palestinians finding refuge in schools across Gaza after fleeing their residences due to Israeli attacks, over 1.9 million individuals out of Gaza’s total population of 2.4 million have been displaced throughout the nearly yearlong conflict, according to the United Nations.
The Israeli offensive in Gaza has resulted in the deaths of more than 41,500 Palestinians and injuries to over 96,000 others, based on the most recent data released by the Health Ministry. Although the ministry’s data does not differentiate between civilians and combatants, more than half of the fatalities have been women and children, including approximately 1,300 children under the age of 2.
Following Hamas’s October 7 attack that claimed around 1,200 lives and took about 250 individuals hostage, Israel initiated its campaign in Gaza with the objective of eliminating Hamas. Israel attributes civilian casualties in Gaza to Hamas since the group’s fighters operate in residential areas and exploit civilian infrastructure.
