Israel reports airstrike on Hamas command center
Early in the morning, the Israeli army, according to its statements, attacked a school building in Gaza City. It claimed that terrorists from Hamas were hiding there, planning attacks. There are reports of numerous deaths and injuries.
The Israeli air force, according to its statements, attacked a Hamas Islamic militant command center in a school building in the northern Gaza Strip last night. Terrorists were reportedly hit. There are no reports of casualties from the Israeli side. Medical and security sources in Gaza say at least 100 people were killed. The media office controlled by Hamas said the school, used as a shelter for the displaced, was attacked during the early morning Muslim prayer. Many of the victims were burned. The Arabic news channel Al-Jazeera, citing the Palestinian Civil Defense, also reported more than 100 deaths and dozens of injuries. None of these reports could be independently verified.
The Hamas command center was located in a school next to a mosque that served as a shelter for Gaza City residents, the Israeli army said early in the morning. The Israeli army did not provide information about casualties in its Telegram statement. "Numerous measures" were taken before the attack to minimize the risk to civilians, it said. Precision ammunition was used in the attack.
Hamas used the building as a hideout for terrorists and commanders. From there, attacks against Israeli troops and the state of Israel were planned and prepared, the Israeli military said again. Hamas systematically violates international law by operating from civilian shelters, it added. Civilians are used as human shields for their terrorist activities.
The Palestinian terrorist organization Islamic Jihad responded immediately. "The choice of the morning prayer as the time for this horrible massacre confirms that the enemy's goal was to kill as many civilians as possible, including children and the elderly." The Israeli army uses the same false pretext for attacks on schools as it does for the destruction of hospitals in the Gaza Strip.
The European Union strongly condemns the Israeli army's attack on the school in Gaza City, expressing deep concern over the reported civilian deaths and injuries. The European Union calls for an immediate investigation into the incident and for all parties to ensure the protection of civilians in accordance with international law.
