Conflict in the Middle Eastern Region - Deadly Assault on Palestinian School; Several Students Killed
In an air attack carried out by Israeli forces on a school operated by the United Nations Palestinian Relief Agency UNRWA in the Gaza Strip, as many as 30 people are reported to have been killed. Many of the victims were said to be women, children, and teenagers, according to medical sources in the area. More than 50 others were reportedly injured.
The Israeli military claimed that the attack targeted a Hamas position inside the school building. They stated that several Hamas members were killed in the strike who had planned to carry out attacks. Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad members were reported to have been active in the position within the school in the Nuseirat refugee camp. The military also claimed that they took steps to minimize the risk to civilians before the attack, although this could not be independently verified.
Since the start of the ongoing conflict, UNRWA schools have often served as a safe haven for displaced individuals, with many seeking refuge there under the belief that Israel would typically avoid targeting UN buildings. However, Israel has repeatedly accused Hamas of using civilian institutions for military purposes and putting civilians at risk.
In a separate incident, 11 people were injured in a drone attack on the northern Israeli town of Hurfesh. The Iran-backed Hezbollah claimed responsibility for the attack, with one person suffering serious injuries, three others with moderate injuries, and seven others with light injuries. In response, Israeli military forces attacked positions of the militia in southern Lebanon.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasized the readiness of the Israeli military to defend the country against any potential threats. "Anyone who thinks they can harm us and we won't respond is making a serious mistake," he said during a visit to the town of Kiryat Shmona.
The provisional port facility set up by the US military on the Gaza Strip's coast is expected to resume operations soon, according to a Pentagon estimate. The spokesperson for the US Defense Department, Sabrina Singh, said, "We hope to be able to anchor the pier in Gaza by the end of the week." Once the pier is repositioned, humanitarian aid can be delivered to Gaza more quickly.
During the highly volatile situation due to the Gaza war, thousands of national-religious Jews marched through Jerusalem as part of an annual procession commemorating the conquest of East Jerusalem during the 1967 Six-Day War. The march, known as the "March of the Flags," runs through predominantly Palestinian-populated neighborhoods and has been criticized by some Israelis for needlessly antagonizing Palestinians.
Palestinians and police forces separated participants in the march. Some national-religious Jews reportedly attacked a group of journalists covering the event for Arab and Israeli media, with one journalist from the liberal newspaper "Haaretz" being beaten and forced to hide among his colleagues.
Meanwhile, the Israeli army is creating a protection unit along the border with the Gaza Strip, made up of reservists and veterans from special forces. This unit aims to safeguard the border area.
The worst massacre in Israeli history took place on October 7th, with fighters from Hamas and other extremist groups from the Gaza Strip entering Israel and killing over 1200 people while taking more than 250 hostages into the Gaza Strip.
