Gaza Under Siege: Israeli Airstrike on School Sheltering Displaced Palestinians Kills at Least 11

In a devastating escalation of the ongoing conflict, Gaza health officials reported that an Israeli airstrike on a school sheltering displaced Palestinians killed at least 11 people, including a woman and a girl, on Sunday. The attack, which also wounded several others, has sparked widespread outrage and condemnation from Palestinian officials and human rights groups.

According to civil defense agency spokesman Mahmud Bassal, the airstrike targeted the Safad school in Gaza City, which had been converted into a shelter for Palestinians forced to flee their homes due to the ongoing violence. “Eleven people, including a woman and girl, were killed when an Israeli air strike struck the Safad school in Gaza City sheltering displaced people,” Bassal told AFP.

However, the Israeli military claimed that the airstrike had targeted a Hamas command center located within the school. “The IAF struck Hamas terrorists who were operating within a command and control centre embedded inside the area that previously served as the Safad school in Gaza City,” the military said in a statement.

The claim was corroborated by a Gaza health official, who spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity. “The school had a Hamas police outpost,” the official said.

The attack on the Safad school is the latest in a series of airstrikes that have pounded the Gaza Strip since the war between Israel and Hamas erupted on October 7. The conflict was sparked by a Palestinian militant attack on Israel, which resulted in the deaths of 1,205 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.

The Israeli military has launched a series of airstrikes and ground incursions into the Gaza Strip, targeting what it claims are Hamas military installations and personnel. However, Palestinian officials and human rights groups have accused Israel of indiscriminately targeting civilians and violating international humanitarian law.

The Safad school attack has sparked widespread condemnation from Palestinian officials, who have accused Israel of deliberately targeting civilians and violating international law. “This is a war crime, plain and simple,” said Palestinian Authority spokesperson Nabil Abu Rudeineh. “The Israeli military is deliberately targeting civilians and using disproportionate force, which is a clear violation of international humanitarian law.”

The attack has also sparked outrage from human rights groups, who have accused Israel of failing to distinguish between military targets and civilians. “The Israeli military’s actions are a clear example of the lack of distinction between military targets and civilians, which is a fundamental principle of international humanitarian law,” said a spokesperson for the Palestinian human rights group Al-Haq.

The international community has also condemned the attack, with the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres calling for an immediate ceasefire and an end to the violence. “I am deeply concerned by the escalating violence in the Gaza Strip and the resulting loss of civilian life,” Guterres said in a statement. “I urge all parties to exercise restraint and to take immediate steps to de-escalate the situation.”

The attack on the Safad school has also highlighted the dire humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, where thousands of Palestinians have been forced to flee their homes due to the ongoing violence. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has reported that over 100,000 Palestinians have been displaced, with many seeking shelter in schools and other public buildings.

The agency has warned of a growing humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, with food, water, and medical supplies running low. “The situation in Gaza is dire, and we are doing everything we can to respond to the needs of the affected population,” said UNRWA spokesperson Chris Gunness.

As the conflict continues to escalate, Palestinian officials and human rights groups are calling for an immediate end to the violence and a return to negotiations. “The only way to end this cycle of violence is through a negotiated settlement that addresses the root causes of the conflict,” said Palestinian Authority spokesperson Nabil Abu Rudeineh.

In the meantime, the people of Gaza continue to suffer, with many forced to flee their homes and seek shelter in overcrowded and under-resourced facilities. The attack on the Safad school is a stark reminder of the human cost of this conflict, and the need for an immediate and lasting solution to the crisis.