CAIRO. An Israeli airstrike targeting a Gaza school compound housing displaced families resulted in the deaths of approximately 100 individuals, according to the Hamas-run Gaza government. The Israeli military, however, contested this figure, stating that the strike was aimed at Hamas militants.
The attack occurred at the Tabeen school complex in Gaza City during dawn prayers. Videos from the scene revealed disturbing images of body parts scattered on the ground, with burnt mattresses and a child’s doll among the debris. In one video, men prayed over a dozen body bags laid out on the ground. The exact location of the footage within the school complex was not immediately clear.
Gaza’s Civil Defence spokesperson, Mahmoud Bassal, reported at a press conference that the complex was struck during morning prayers, resulting in “more than 93 martyrs, including 11 children and six women,” with additional unidentified remains. The complex had been sheltering around 350 families displaced by the ongoing conflict. The Gaza health ministry has yet to provide detailed casualty figures.
The Israeli military claimed that the school compound, including the mosque within it, was being used as a military facility by Hamas and Islamic Jihad. Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani stated on X that the Palestinian death toll was exaggerated, asserting that around 20 militants were present at the site. “The compound, and the mosque that was struck within it, served as an active Hamas and Islamic Jihad military facility,” Shoshani said. He added that the strike involved “three small, precise munitions” and questioned the accuracy of the reported casualty figures.
Hamas condemned the strike as a severe escalation and a “horrific crime,” with Izzat El-Reshiq from Hamas’ political office asserting that none of the deceased were combatants. The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, expressed horror at the images from the site. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ spokesperson, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, called on the U.S. to end its “blind support” for Israel, which he claimed has led to numerous civilian casualties.
Several nations, including Egypt, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey, condemned the airstrike. Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri indicated that the attack should prompt renewed efforts to resume ceasefire talks. Egypt and Qatar, along with the U.S., have scheduled new ceasefire negotiations for Thursday amidst rising concerns about a broader conflict involving Iran and Hezbollah.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed not to end the war until Hamas is no longer a threat, following an attack by Hamas fighters on southern Israel on October 7 that resulted in 1,200 deaths and over 250 hostages. Since the onset of the Israeli offensive, nearly 40,000 Palestinians have been reported killed, according to Gaza’s health ministry, which does not differentiate between combatants and civilians. Israel reports that at least a third of the fatalities are fighters, while it has lost 329 soldiers.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
