- Israeli strike on Gaza school kills at least 11
- The school, based at a refugee camp, was housing displaced families
- Among the dead were women and children
Israeli strike on Gaza school kills at least 11, health ministry says
At least 11 people were killed in an Israeli airstrike on a school in northern Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. The al-Faluja school, located in the Jabalia refugee camp, was being used as a shelter by displaced families. Among the dead were women and children, with local hospitals overwhelmed by the casualties.
The Israeli military claimed the strike targeted a “command-and-control centre” used by Hamas fighters, which Hamas has denied in the past. Meanwhile, Gaza’s Civil Defence agency reported the death toll as 15, stating that thousands of displaced Palestinians had been sheltering at the school. Local medics, cited by Reuters, put the number of fatalities at 14.
Since the conflict between Israel and Hamas began nearly a year ago, many schools have been converted into shelters for the 1.9 million Palestinians displaced by the fighting. However, the UN and its partners estimate that 61% of schools in Gaza have been directly hit, with another 24% suffering damage.
This attack follows strikes on three other schools in northern and central Gaza earlier in the week, which reportedly killed at least 32 people. The Israeli military maintains that it targets Hamas command centres and attempts to minimise civilian casualties, but it has accused Hamas of violating international law by operating within civilian areas.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas addressed the UN General Assembly in New York, urging global leaders to intervene and end the war. Efforts to broker a ceasefire and facilitate hostage negotiations, led by the U.S., Egypt, and Qatar, have stalled in recent weeks, with tensions between Israel and Hezbollah adding to the urgency of de-escalation.
