Escalating Conflict in Gaza: Schools Under Siege
An Israeli airstrike hit a school complex housing displaced people in southern Gaza, killing at least 27 people on Tuesday, according to local health authorities. This marks the fourth such attack on a school in just four days, intensifying the humanitarian crisis in the region. The Ministry of Health in Gaza described the attack as an 'atrocious massacre against displaced citizens,' with the bombing also injuring 53 people, many of whom are in serious condition. The death toll is expected to rise as more victims are transferred to Nasser Hospital.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that they had targeted a 'terrorist' near the Al-Awda school, who was allegedly involved in the October 7 attacks on southern Israel. 'The IDF is examining reports that civilians were injured near the Al-Awda School in southern Khan Younis,' the IDF said in a statement. However, these claims have not been independently verified.
International Condemnation and Humanitarian Crisis
French and German foreign ministries have condemned the attacks on schools, calling for thorough investigations. 'It is unacceptable that schools, especially those sheltering civilian populations displaced by the fighting, are targeted,' said the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Hamas has also condemned the strikes, labeling them as 'a continuation of the genocidal war and the horrible massacres against our defenseless people.'
The ongoing conflict, now in its 10th month, has seen Israeli forces instructing hundreds of thousands of people to evacuate areas like Khan Younis, Shujaya, and Gaza City. This has exacerbated the humanitarian crisis, increasing the number of internally displaced people in Gaza to 1.9 million, according to the UN. Human rights organizations have criticized these relocation orders, citing them as a form of 'forced transfer,' which violates international law.
The Gaza Government Media Office and the commissioner-general of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNWRA), Philippe Lazzarini, have condemned the attacks. Lazzarini warned that 'blatant disregard for international humanitarian law cannot become the new normal,' emphasizing that schools have transformed from safe havens to sites of death and misery.
With the conflict showing no signs of abating, new negotiations are expected in Qatar to discuss a potential ceasefire and the release of hostages held in Gaza. Meanwhile, the IDF continues its major offensive against Hamas, which it has vowed to destroy following the October 7 attack.
