An Israeli airstrike on Sunday hit a school-turned-shelter in Gaza City, killing at least seven people, according to Gaza’s civil defense agency. The strike occurred at the Kafr Qasim School in the Al-Shati refugee camp, where hundreds of displaced residents were taking refuge amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Mahmud Bassal, a spokesperson for the civil defense, reported the deaths, as well as several serious injuries, in the aftermath of the attack. The Israeli military said the strike targeted Hamas militants operating within the school grounds and emphasized efforts to minimize civilian casualties through the use of "precise munitions" and surveillance.
This incident is the latest in a series of strikes on school buildings in Gaza, which have become shelters for civilians displaced by the war. The conflict, which began on October 7 following a Hamas attack on Israel, has led to mass displacement, with the majority of Gaza's 2.4 million residents forced to move at least once. On Saturday, an airstrike on another school in Gaza City killed 21 people.
International concern over the strikes has mounted, particularly following an attack on the UN-run Al-Jawni School in central Gaza on September 11, which claimed the lives of 18 people, including six staff members from the UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA). Israel has accused Hamas of using schools as bases for operations, a claim the militant group has denied.
Since the conflict erupted, at least 41,391 Palestinians have been killed, with civilians making up the majority of the death toll, according to the Gaza health ministry. The United Nations has verified these figures.
As the war intensifies, both sides continue to face international scrutiny over the protection of civilians amid heavy fighting.
Mahmud Bassal, a spokesperson for the civil defense, reported the deaths, as well as several serious injuries, in the aftermath of the attack. The Israeli military said the strike targeted Hamas militants operating within the school grounds and emphasized efforts to minimize civilian casualties through the use of "precise munitions" and surveillance.
This incident is the latest in a series of strikes on school buildings in Gaza, which have become shelters for civilians displaced by the war. The conflict, which began on October 7 following a Hamas attack on Israel, has led to mass displacement, with the majority of Gaza's 2.4 million residents forced to move at least once. On Saturday, an airstrike on another school in Gaza City killed 21 people.
International concern over the strikes has mounted, particularly following an attack on the UN-run Al-Jawni School in central Gaza on September 11, which claimed the lives of 18 people, including six staff members from the UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA). Israel has accused Hamas of using schools as bases for operations, a claim the militant group has denied.
Since the conflict erupted, at least 41,391 Palestinians have been killed, with civilians making up the majority of the death toll, according to the Gaza health ministry. The United Nations has verified these figures.
As the war intensifies, both sides continue to face international scrutiny over the protection of civilians amid heavy fighting.
