An Israeli airstrike on a school in central Gaza has resulted in the deaths of at least 16 people, with over 50 wounded, according to the Palestinian health ministry. The Israeli military stated that the target was gunmen hiding in the area.
Incident Details
The attack on Al-Nuseirat school, which was sheltering displaced Palestinian families, caused significant casualties. The health ministry reported 16 deaths and over 50 injuries.
The Israeli military claimed it took measures to minimize civilian casualties and targeted militants planning attacks against soldiers. Hamas denied the presence of its fighters at the school.
Eyewitness Ayman al-Atouneh described the scene, mentioning children among the victims and noting the presence of playground equipment and vendors. Mahmoud Basal, spokesman for the Gaza Civil Emergency Service, warned that the death toll could rise due to the critical condition of many of the wounded.
Broader Context
Al-Nuseirat, one of Gaza’s eight historic refugee camps, faced increased Israeli bombardment on Saturday. An earlier airstrike on a house in the camp killed at least 10 people and injured many others.
The Gaza health ministry’s daily update reported 29 Palestinians killed and 100 wounded in Israeli strikes over the past 24 hours. Among the deceased were five local journalists, bringing the total number of journalists killed since October 7 to 158, according to the Hamas-led Gaza government media office.
Gaza health authorities estimate over 38,000 Palestinians have been killed in the nearly nine-month-old conflict. While the ministry does not differentiate between combatants and civilians, officials claim most victims are civilians. Israel, which has lost 323 soldiers, asserts that at least a third of the Palestinian dead are fighters.
Background
Israel launched its offensive to eliminate Hamas following a Hamas-led assault on Israel on October 7, which resulted in 1,200 Israeli deaths and over 250 hostages taken.
Rafah Operations
Israeli forces intensified operations in Rafah, near the Egyptian border, killing four Palestinian policemen and wounding eight others in an airstrike. The Hamas-run interior ministry confirmed the deaths, including Fares Abdel-Al, head of the police force in Tel Al-Sultan.
The Israeli military reported continued “intelligence-based operations” in Rafah, including the destruction of underground structures, seizure of weapons, and killing of Palestinian gunmen. The operations aim to dismantle the last Hamas armed wing battalions in the area.
Additionally, the military claimed to have eliminated a Hamas rocket cell in Deir Al-Balah, which operated from a humanitarian-designated area. The strike was reportedly carried out with precautions to avoid civilian casualties.
Meanwhile, armed wings of Hamas and Islamic Jihad claimed to have attacked Israeli forces in Gaza using anti-tank rockets and mortar bombs.
