Gaza City, Gaza Strip – An Israeli airstrike on a United Nations school in central Gaza has tragically claimed the lives of more than 20 people, according to local residents. The Israeli military defended its actions, stating that the school was being used as a “Hamas compound.”
Local journalists on the ground reported that the strike targeted classrooms on the top floor of the school located in the Nuseirat refugee camp. The Hamas media office alleged that at least 27 people lost their lives in what they called a “horrific massacre.” Ambulances and rescue teams worked tirelessly to transport the wounded and deceased to a nearby hospital.
Videos circulating on social media showed the aftermath of the attack, with destroyed classrooms and bodies wrapped in shrouds at a morgue. The harrowing scenes sparked outrage among survivors, with one woman captured on video expressing the devastating impact of the violence on innocent civilians.
Amid conflicting claims, Ismail al-Thawabta, director of the Hamas media office, disputed Israel’s justification for the airstrike, labeling it a “brutal crime” against displaced individuals. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) maintained that the strike targeted Hamas and Islamic Jihad operatives linked to a previous attack on southern Israel.
The IDF contended that precautions were taken to minimize civilian casualties before launching the strike. Earlier military operations in eastern areas of the Bureij refugee camp and the town of Deir al-Balah in central Gaza had already resulted in numerous Palestinian fatalities.
As tensions escalated, airstrikes and ground operations intensified, prompting medical organizations such as Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) to describe the situation in central Gaza as “apocalyptic.” The escalating violence left a devastating toll on the population, with women and children comprising the majority of the dead and wounded in local hospitals.
MSF medical personnel on the ground painted a grim picture of the chaos and suffering, highlighting the urgent need for humanitarian aid. The ongoing conflict in Gaza has raised international concerns over the humanitarian crisis unfolding in the region, as the cycle of violence shows no signs of abating.