Civil protection: Nearly 100 killed in Israeli airstrike on Gaza school
In the attack on the school in the Al-Sahaba neighborhood in the city of Gaza, "between 90 and 100" people were killed and "dozens" more were injured, said Mahmud Basal, spokesman for the Hamas-controlled Civil Defense Authority. Three Israeli rockets hit the school. The Hamas-controlled government of the Gaza Strip spoke of "more than a hundred martyrs" from the Israeli attack and dozens of injured, most of them seriously or critically.
According to reports from the Gaza authorities, about 250 people were housed in the school, with about half being women and children. Images from AFPTV showed a large complex with a courtyard, with rubble scattered inside and in front of it. Parts of the building appeared to be a mosque, with the upper floor partially destroyed. Images also showed bodies and bloodstains on the ground and smoke rising from the rubble.
The Israeli army stated that it had "precisely targeted Hamas terrorists operating in a Hamas command center in the Al-Tabaeen school". Numerous precautions had been taken to reduce risks to civilians.
Hamas described the incident as a "massacre" in a statement, calling it a "dangerous escalation". It was one of the deadliest attacks by the Israeli army in the Gaza Strip since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas around ten months ago.
There are international fears of further escalation in the Middle East after Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was targeted and killed in Tehran, and a senior Hezbollah official was killed in Lebanon. Israel is suspected of carrying out both attacks. There are now fears of an escalation of the Gaza war with retaliatory strikes from Lebanon and Iran. The US, Qatar, and Egypt are pushing for swift further negotiations between Israel and Hamas to achieve a ceasefire and the release of Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip. The next round of talks is scheduled for next week on August 15. Israel has agreed to resume talks.
Meanwhile, there is growing concern in Israel that, especially in the northern part of the country, it could come under heavy fire. People in the port city of Haifa, with its 280,000 inhabitants, are preparing for rocket attacks.
Just two days ago, the Civil Defense Authority in the Gaza Strip stated that at least 18 people were killed in Israeli attacks on two schools in Gaza. The Israeli army also stated that the schools were used by Hamas as command centers. Additionally, the Israeli army launched a larger attack in the area of Khan Yunis south of Gaza City on Friday.
Israel accuses Hamas of using schools, hospitals, and other civilian facilities for military purposes and exploiting civilians as human shields since the start of the war in the Gaza Strip. Hamas denies this.
The war has been ongoing for more than ten months now. It was triggered by the brutal large-scale attack by Hamas on October 7, in which fighters from Hamas and other militant Palestinian groups allegedly killed 1198 people and took 251 people hostage to the Gaza Strip, according to Israeli reports. 111 hostages are still reportedly being held, with 39 of them said to be dead.
In response to the attack, Israel has since been conducting large-scale military operations in the Gaza Strip. According to figures from the Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health, which cannot be independently verified, at least 39,699 people have been killed.
The school buildings in question were the Al-Tabaeen school, which reportedly housed around 250 people, including many women and children. Subsequently, three Israeli rockets struck the school, causing substantial damage and resulting in numerous casualties.
