At least 28 individuals were killed and more than 50 others injured in an Israeli airstrike targeting a school sheltering displaced families in the central Gaza Strip, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent. The attack occurred at the Rufaida al-Aslamia school in Deir al-Balah, close to the organization’s headquarters.
Witnesses at the scene described a chaotic atmosphere as rescuers rushed to aid the injured amidst clouds of smoke and dust. Graphic images emerged showing children receiving treatment at the nearby al-Aqsa hospital.
The Israeli military stated that the airstrike was a “precise” operation aimed at Hamas fighters allegedly operating from a “command-and-control centre” located within the school. Officials claimed they took measures to reduce civilian casualties and accused Hamas of exploiting civilian infrastructure for military purposes—an allegation that Hamas has repeatedly denied.
In response to the airstrike, Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry condemned the incident as a “new massacre” by Israeli forces.
The ongoing conflict has forced approximately 1.9 million Palestinians to flee their homes, with many schools repurposed as makeshift shelters. Since the outbreak of war in Gaza a year ago, the Israeli military has launched extensive operations aimed at dismantling Hamas, following an unprecedented assault by the group on southern Israel on October 7, 2023. That attack resulted in the deaths of around 1,200 people and the abduction of 251 others.
Since the escalation of violence, Gaza’s health ministry reports that over 42,060 individuals have lost their lives in the territory. The rising death toll and the devastation of civilian infrastructure continue to raise international concerns over the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
