10-8-2024 (JERUSALEM) In a devastating turn of events, Gaza’s civil defence agency reported on Thursday that the death toll from an Israeli strike on a school housing displaced Palestinians has surpassed 90. The incident, which occurred in the early hours of the morning, has ignited international condemnation and raised concerns about the ongoing conflict’s impact on civilians.
Mahmud Bassal, spokesperson for the Palestinian Civil Defence, announced in a televised news conference, “Thus far, we have confirmed more than 93 casualties, including 11 children and six women. Some remains are yet to be identified.” He added that approximately 6,000 people had been seeking refuge at the compound when the strike occurred.
The attack targeted the Al-Tabieen school in Gaza City’s Daraj neighbourhood, hitting both the upper and ground floors. Mr Bassal described the horrific scene: “The upper floor housed women and children, while the ground floor was occupied by people engaged in prayer. They were directly hit.”
Islamic Jihad, a militant group allied with Hamas, stated that the strike took place “during the dawn prayer”, intensifying the tragedy’s emotional impact.
Ismail al-Thawabta, director-general of the Gaza government media office, provided a grim update to AFP, saying, “The strike has resulted in more than 100 fatalities and dozens of injuries, most of which are in severe and critical condition.”
The Israeli military, however, presented a different narrative. In a statement, they claimed to have struck a Hamas “command and control centre” that was “embedded” within the school complex. Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani elaborated on X (formerly Twitter), “The compound, including the mosque that was struck within it, served as an active Hamas and Islamic Jihad military facility.”
The military asserted that “numerous steps were taken to mitigate the risk of harming civilians, including the use of precise munitions, aerial surveillance, and intelligence information.” They also disputed the casualty figures, stating that “the numbers published by the Hamas-run Government Information Office in Gaza do not align with the information held by the IDF (Israel Defence Forces), the precise munitions used, and the accuracy of the strike.”
This incident marks at least the 14th school struck in Gaza since 6 July, with the combined death toll from these attacks now exceeding 280, according to an AFP tally.
The international community has responded with swift condemnation. Francesca Albanese, the United Nations special rapporteur on the rights situation in Palestinian territories, accused Israel of “genociding the Palestinians one neighbourhood at a time, one hospital at a time, one school at a time, one refugee camp at a time, one safe zone at a time” in a post on X.
Egypt, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia have all issued strong statements condemning the strike. Jordan’s foreign ministry suggested that the timing of the attack “is an indication of the Israeli government’s efforts to obstruct and thwart” ongoing ceasefire negotiations.
As mediators push to resume ceasefire talks, with a new round scheduled for 15 August in Egypt, this tragic event has cast a long shadow over diplomatic efforts. Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri stated that the strike should serve as a turning point in these negotiations.
The conflict, which began on 7 October with a Hamas attack on southern Israel that resulted in approximately 1,200 Israeli deaths and over 250 hostages taken, has now claimed nearly 40,000 Palestinian lives, according to the Gaza health ministry.
