Aerial assault by Israel on a Gaza shelter housing displaced individuals leads to the loss of at least 18 lives, including representatives from the UN, as per Palestinian authorities' claims.
UNRWA, the UN agency responsible for Palestinian aid, declared on a certain day that six of their employees had been tragically lost in an incident, as two airstrikes struck a school and its surroundings in Nuseirat. This marked the largest loss of life among UNRWA staff in a single incident.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) admitted to executing an accurate strike on suspected terrorists within the school premises. They claimed the school was used by Hamas militants to plan and carry out attacks against Israeli troops and the state itself.
The IDF argued that numerous measures were taken to minimize harm to civilians, using this incident as evidence of Hamas' repeated misuse of civilian facilities in violation of international law.
The target of the strike was the Al Jaouni UNRWA facility, which had been out of service as a functional school since October. Approximately 12,000 displaced individuals, including women and children, were taking refuge in the school, as per UNRWA.
The school compound has been targeted five times since October 7, according to UNRWA and a spokesperson from Gaza Civil Defense.
Mahmoud Basal, a representative of Gaza Civil Defense, reported that rescue operations were still underway amid the wreckage, with children and women among the casualties.
On the same day, Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA's chief, wrote on social media about another school sheltering displaced individuals getting hit in Nuseirat. He stated that UN staff were present and offering assistance to the families who sought refuge in the school. Since the start of the conflict, at least 220 UNRWA staff members have lost their lives in Gaza, he mentioned. "As long as impunity persists, international humanitarian law and the Geneva Conventions will lose their relevance," he concluded.
"We are all just civilians here"
Footage from the scene displayed debris scattered throughout the compound, alongside bloodstains on the ground. A clear hole could be seen in what resembled a classroom, and amongst the ruins were cans of food and the dust-covered belongings of displaced Palestinians.
A man carrying what appeared to be human remains expressed his disbelief, saying, "I don't know what to say; brutality."
Another man was seen searching desperately for his wife and four children, whose whereabouts remained unknown. "I don't know where they are, my son, my three daughters are missing," Hani Haniya shared from within the building. "They usually sit here, I don't know where my wife is, she survived the last strike."
Inside a damaged room at the school, Fadel Abu Hdayyeh explained that it was where food intended for displaced Palestinians was stored. "Those who worked here were providing aid. We don't have any resistance fighters here, none of them enter the school. Look around, it's all food aid," he said.
"Those supplying aid are the ones who perished, civilians. We are all civilians here who are dying," he emphasized.
At Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, footage showed ambulances and trucks transferring the injured and dead to the hospital. The emergency room was swamped with the wounded, as medical staff struggled to provide care.
Nuseirat is one of Gaza's most densely populated areas, and its population has temporarily increased since the conflict began.
Since October 7, more than 41,000 individuals have been killed and 95,000 injured in Gaza, as reported by the latest figures from the Palestinian Ministry of Health. CNN cannot confirm the exact number of casualties. In the strife-torn region, medical records fail to differentiate between civilians and combatants who have been killed.
Earlier in the day, an Israeli bombardment resulted in the death of one child and six other individuals in the Qizan Al-Najjar area, close to Khan Younis. This followed an overnight attack on a family home in the town of Khuza’a, east of Khan Younis, where at least 11 individuals lost their lives, according to Gaza's Civil Defense.
In a separate incident, at least nine members of the same family were reportedly killed in an Israeli attack on Jabalya, northern Gaza, according to Gaza's Civil Defense. Footage of the aftermath, shared by Gaza's Civil Defense, depicted the remnants of children's limbs. CNN has contacted the IDF for comment.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
The Al Jaouni UNRWA facility, serving as a refuge for displaced individuals, was targeted, highlighting the dangerous circumstances civilians in the world are facing during the conflict. The tragic incident resulted in the loss of six UNRWA employees, as UNRWA's chief, Philippe Lazzarini, stated on social media, emphasizing the need for accountability to preserve international humanitarian law.
