By An Israeli airstrike on a school sheltering displaced Palestinian families in Al-Nuseirat, central Gaza, has resulted in at least 16 deaths and over 50 injuries, according to the Palestinian health ministry. The incident, which occurred on Saturday, has reignited debates over civilian casualties in the ongoing conflict.
The Israeli military defended the action, stating that they had targeted gunmen using the area as a hideout to plan and carry out attacks against soldiers. They emphasized that precautions were taken to minimize risk to civilians before the operation.
Eyewitnesses at the scene reported seeing children among the casualties. Ayman al-Atouneh, a local resident, described the horrific aftermath: “We saw bodies of children, in pieces, this was a playground, there was a trampoline here, there were swing-sets, 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 wounded. He emphasized that the attack undermined the safety of families seeking shelter, stating that no place in the enclave was now safe for displaced civilians.
The strike on the school was part of intensified Israeli bombardment in Al-Nuseirat, one of Gaza Strip’s eight historic refugee camps. Earlier on Saturday, an airstrike on a house in the same camp killed at least 10 people and wounded many others, according to medical sources.
The Gaza health ministry reported that Israeli military strikes across the enclave killed at least 29 Palestinians and wounded 100 others in the past 24 hours. Among the casualties 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.
Since the beginning of the conflict nearly nine months ago, Gaza health authorities claim that more than 38,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s offensive. While the health ministry does not distinguish between combatants and non-combatants, officials assert that the majority of the dead are civilians.
This latest incident has further strained international relations and intensified calls for a ceasefire and humanitarian intervention in the region. As the conflict continues, the international community remains deeply concerned about the mounting civilian death toll and the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza.
The strike on the school in Al-Nuseirat serves as a grim reminder of the complexities and devastating human cost of the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, highlighting the urgent need for a peaceful resolution and protection of civilian lives.
Reuters
