Israeli air raids have killed dozens of people at the al-Fakhoora School, run by the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), in Jabalia refugee camp another a school in Tal Al-Zaatar, also in northern Gaza. At least 50 people were killed in the bombing of al-Fakhoora School, the Palestinian Ministry of Health said on Saturday. It added that the two attacks killed and injured hundreds of people.
Quick Read
- Dozens Killed in Israeli Air Raids on Schools: Israeli airstrikes targeted the al-Fakhoora School and Tal Al-Zaatar school in northern Gaza, resulting in the deaths of at least 50 people at al-Fakhoora School alone.
- Casualties and Destruction: The Palestinian Ministry of Health reported hundreds of deaths and injuries from the two attacks, with Al Jazeera reporting severe destruction at both schools.
- Displacement and Shelter at Schools: Many Gazans had taken shelter in these schools, fleeing ongoing Israeli attacks. The bombing of al-Fakhoora occurred early in the morning, while Tal Al-Zaatar was hit later in the day.
- Condemnation and Calls for Investigation: Qatar’s foreign ministry condemned the bombing of al-Fakhoora school, calling for an international investigation into Israel’s targeting of schools and hospitals.
- UNRWA Spokesperson’s Comments: Tamara Alrifai of UNRWA described the aftermath as horrific, noting that civilians sought shelter in UN buildings but were not safe.
- Mass Exodus to the South: Over half of Gaza’s 2.3 million population has been forced to move south following Israeli orders, reminiscent of previous displacements.
- Israeli Army’s Campaign Against Hamas: The Israeli army claims the Jabalia refugee camp, where the schools are located, houses Palestinian fighters, justifying their target selection.
- Repeated Targeting of Al-Fakhoora School: The al-Fakhoora School, previously targeted in 2009 and 2014, has been likened to the al-Shifa Hospital due to its repeated bombings.
- Egypt’s Response to the Attack: Egypt condemned the attack on the UN-run Al-Fakhoura school, labeling it a war crime and calling for accountability for the perpetrators.
- UN and Regional Government Condemnations: The United Nations and regional governments have condemned the deadly bombing campaigns, but the attacks continue.
- Extensive Damage in Gaza: Israel’s military offensive has caused extensive damage to buildings, including hospitals and religious sites, and has disrupted basic services like fuel, electricity, and water.
- High Palestinian Death Toll: Over 12,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Israeli offensive, with a much lower death toll on the Israeli side.
- UNICEF’s Call for Ceasefire: UNICEF’s regional director, Adele Khodr, expressed horror at the attacks and called for an immediate ceasefire, emphasizing that children, schools, and shelters should not be targets.
The Associated Press has the story:
Dozens killed as Israeli forces attack 2 UN schools in northern Gaza
Newslooks- (AP)
Israeli air raids have killed dozens of people at the al-Fakhoora School, run by the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), in Jabalia refugee camp another a school in Tal Al-Zaatar, also in northern Gaza.
At least 50 people were killed in the bombing of al-Fakhoora School, the Palestinian Ministry of Health said on Saturday. It added that the two attacks killed and injured hundreds of people.
Reporting form Khan Younis in southern Gaza, Al Jazeera said Israeli attacks on schools, hospitals and public facilities “seem to be a trend right now”, multiple airstrikes inflicted severe destruction on both schools. Almost 200 people have been killed in these attacks and the number is expected to increase as there are many under the rubble. People are using shovels and their bare hands to dig people out.
Many hundreds of people are believed to have taken shelter at both schools, fleeing the non-stop Israeli attacks. The attack on al-Fakhoora is believed to have taken place in the early hours of the morning, while the attack on Tal Al-Zaatar took place later in the day.
“Dead bodies are everywhere and medial teams are trying to evacuate the wounded,” said Al Jazeera correspondent about al-Fakhoora school.
He said with the continuing fighting amid Israel’s ground offensive into northern Gaza, many Palestinians have been forced to flee to UN-run schools in the vicinity of the Indonesian Hospital for protection.
People taking shelter at al-Fakhoora School in Jabalia refugee camp, many with medical issues, thought they could find shelter from the violence there. But the Israeli army seems to be sending a message: Flee to the south of the Gaza Strip.
‘Nowhere is safe in Gaza’
Qatar’s foreign ministry condemned Israel’s renewed bombardment of al-Fakhoora school, and called for “an urgent international investigation and independent investigators to probe Israel’s targeting of schools and hospitals in Gaza”.
Tamara Alrifai, a spokesperson for UNRWA, said she has seen the “devastating” footage coming out of Jabalia in the aftermath of the bombing, but has not been able to directly contact her colleagues on the ground.
“I’m still waiting from reports directly from my colleagues in Gaza but what we’re seeing is another one of these horrific incidents, where civilians, people who sought shelter in a protected UN building, are paying the price,” she said.
Alrifai said more than half of the Gaza Strip’s 2.3 million population has been forced on an “exodus” south after an Israeli order to evacuate to make room for its ground operations in the north, something that is reminiscent of previous forced displacements.
“Many people who stayed in the north stayed in the UNRWA school because they thought that they would have a bit of safety there, but nowhere is safe in Gaza, not even our schools,” she said. “Unfortunately, people flee into our buildings with the blue flag looking for protection, but 70 of our buildings have been hit, so we, ourselves, are not protected.”
Alrifai said excluding the attack on Saturday, 66 people have been confirmed killed while taking shelter in UN-run facilities.
The ‘al-Shifa of schools’
The Jabalia refugee camp has been a target of air raids for weeks, as Israel claims it houses Palestinian fighters.
The deadly bombing campaign has been continuing despite condemnations by the UN and regional governments.
The Israeli army has also repeatedly hit schools and UN-run facilities. Its war on Gaza has killed more than 12,000 Palestinians so far, many of them children.
The al-Fakhoora School had also been previously hit by the Israeli army several times before the war. The school was a target for air raids in 2009, 2014 and earlier this month.
The school is like the “al-Shifa of schools” in Gaza as it has been repeatedly targeted by Israeli forces like the al-Shifa Hospital, which has been a main target since the start of the war and under direct siege and raid for days.
There is nothing discriminate about the fact that a school that shelters thousands of people has been bombed from the air; that is meant to create damage, human loss, suffering and death.
Egypt says Israel must be held accountable for attack on UN-run Al-Fakhoura school
Egypt on Saturday said the Israeli attack on Al-Fakhoura school in the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza Strip, is a “war crime that requires investigation to hold the perpetrators accountable.”
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry issued a statement on its official Facebook account after dozens were killed and injured in an Israeli bombing on the learning center run by the UN Relief Agency for Palestinian Refugees UNRWA. Another attack followed at the Tal Azzatar school in the refugee camp.
The attack is “a deliberate insult to the UN, its relief organizations and noble humanitarian values,” and “a new blatant violation added to the series of Israeli violations against civilians in the Gaza Strip,” it added.
The ministry called on “influential international parties and the Security Council to intervene immediately to put an end to the human suffering in the Gaza Strip, implement an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, and provide the necessary protection for Palestinian civilians.”
“The scenes of carnage & death following attacks on Alfakhoura & Tal Al Zaatar schools in #Gaza killing many children & women are horrific & appalling. These horrible attacks should cease immediately. Children, schools & shelters are not a target. Immediate ceasefire needed now !” said Adele Khodr, UNICEF’s regional director for Middle East and North Africa.
Israel has killed at least 12,000 Palestinians in its air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip since the Oct. 7 surprise offensive by Hamas. The Israeli death toll, meanwhile, is around 1,200, according to official figures.
The Egyptian ministry said that Thousands of buildings, including hospitals, mosques, and churches, have been damaged or destroyed in Israel’s relentless strikes on the besieged enclave.
An Israeli blockade has also cut Gaza off from fuel, electricity, and water supplies, and reduced aid deliveries to a trickle.
