An Israeli military airstrike targeted a school near Deir al-Balah, a city in central Gaza, resulting in the deaths of at least 30 Palestinians and injuring over 100 more. According to the Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health, the majority of the victims were civilians, including many children.
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) claimed on Telegram that the Khadija School was being used as a Hamas command and control centre, where the group allegedly planned attacks and stored weapons. However, Gaza’s civil defence service reported that the school was sheltering displaced people, and Hamas denied the military use of the school, stating it housed “displaced, sick and wounded people, most of whom were women and children.”
Eyewitness Mustafa Rafati described the scene as “terrifying,” recounting how the explosion shook his body and sent him rushing into the school, where he witnessed body parts strewn across the area. Verified video footage from the site shows a chaotic aftermath, with people running amidst rubble, carrying injured children and adults, and covering bodies with blankets.
The IDF stated that measures were taken to minimise civilian casualties, including the use of precise munitions and aerial surveillance. Despite these claims, Gaza’s health ministry reported a rising death toll, with 53 people killed and 189 injured in the region due to ongoing Israeli airstrikes since Saturday morning.
The strike comes amid Israel’s prolonged military campaign in Gaza, which has reportedly claimed over 39,000 Palestinian lives, according to Gaza’s health ministry. The conflict began after a Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October, which resulted in approximately 1,200 Israeli deaths and 251 hostages taken.
International reaction has been strong, with EU foreign policy Chief Josep Borrell condemning the attack and calling for an immediate ceasefire. Ceasefire talks, mediated by CIA Director Bill Burns, are set to take place between representatives from Qatar, Egypt, and Israel.
In the West Bank, Israeli military actions also led to fatalities, with a 17-year-old and a 24-year-old killed in the Balata refugee camp in Nablus, along with 22 injuries reported by the Palestinian Authority’s ministry of health.
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