Dozens of people have been killed in Gaza City after an Israeli airstrike targeted a school sheltering displaced Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Hamas-controlled civil defence agency. The strike, which occurred on Saturday in the Daraj district, reportedly left at least 90 dead and injured dozens more.
Israel’s military confirmed the strike, stating that it had targeted a Hamas command centre embedded within the school.
“Three Israeli rockets hit the school that was housing displaced Palestinians,” said civil defence agency spokesman Mahmud Bassal, who described the scene as a “horrific massacre.”
The attack took place as those sheltering in the school were performing dawn prayers, according to a statement from the Hamas media office. Many casualties were reported, and efforts to retrieve bodies and rescue the wounded were ongoing, with medics struggling to reach all victims.
Israel’s military maintained that the strike was precise, aimed at Hamas terrorists operating from within the Al-Taba’een school. Earlier this week, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) had announced strikes on other Hamas command centres located in schools in Gaza City.
The airstrike comes amid a relentless conflict that began on 7 October, when Hamas-led gunmen launched a deadly attack on Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages back to Gaza. The attack prompted a massive Israeli military offensive on Gaza, leading to ongoing warfare.
According to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, the Israeli campaign has resulted in the deaths of over 39,600 Palestinians. The situation in Gaza remains dire, with international calls for a ceasefire growing amid the rising death toll and humanitarian crisis.
Follow us on:
