Israeli airstrike on a Gaza school

Devastating Airstrike Hits Gaza School Shelter, Sparking Global Outrage

In a grim development early Saturday, an Israeli airstrike struck a school in Gaza that had been converted into a shelter, resulting in the deaths of at least 80 people and leaving nearly 50 others injured, according to Palestinian health officials. This tragedy occurred during prayer time at the school’s mosque, making it one of the deadliest episodes in the ongoing 10-month conflict between Israel and Hamas.

The incident was the latest in a string of what the United Nations’ human rights office has described as “systematic attacks on schools” by Israel. Since July 4, at least 21 such attacks have been reported, resulting in hundreds of fatalities, including women and children. “For many, schools are the last resort to find some shelter and possible access to food and water,” the UN office stated in the wake of Saturday’s attack.

The Israeli military confirmed the strike on the Tabeen school in central Gaza City, asserting it was aimed at a Hamas command center allegedly located in the school. Hamas, however, denied these claims.

Footage from the scene depicted a harrowing picture: the building’s lower levels were destroyed, with debris, clothing, and furniture scattered across blood-soaked floors. Bodies, some wrapped in bloodstained shrouds, were laid side by side in improvised graves. Fadel Naeem, director of the al-Ahli hospital in Gaza City, reported receiving 70 bodies and numerous body parts. Gaza’s Health Ministry reported 47 injuries, many with severe burns and amputations.

Naeem described the injuries as some of the worst he had seen during the war. According to a witness named Abu Anas, the strike came without warning as people were engaged in morning prayers at the mosque inside the school. “There were people praying, there were people washing, and there were people upstairs sleeping, including children, women, and old people,” he recounted, clutching his prayer beads. “The missile fell on them without warning. The first missile, and the second. We recovered them as body parts.”

Three missiles struck the two-story building, which housed the mosque on the ground floor and the school on the upper floor, where approximately 6,000 displaced individuals had sought refuge. Mahmoud Bassal, spokesperson for the Civil Defense first responders, noted that many of the casualties were unidentifiable and included numerous women and children.

The United Nations reported that by July 6, 477 out of 564 schools in Gaza had been directly affected by the war. The international community insists that Israel has a legal obligation to provide safe shelter for the displaced.

“There’s no justification for these massacres,” European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell declared in a statement on social media, condemning the attacks on schools. Similarly, U.K. Foreign Minister David Lammy expressed his dismay, stating he was “appalled” by the events.

The Israeli military spokesman, Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, alleged that the Tabeen school compound was being used by about 20 Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants, including senior commanders, to orchestrate attacks against Israeli forces. Shoshani also questioned the casualty numbers provided by the Gaza Health Ministry.

This event underscores the devastating human cost of the conflict and has prompted international calls for the protection of civilians and adherence to international humanitarian laws.