Israeli Air Strike on Gaza School Kills 28, Health Ministry Confirms

AFP | Gaza City

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The Palestinian Red Crescent has confirmed that an Israeli airstrike targeted a school in Gaza, killing at least 28 people and injuring 54 others. The strike occurred at Rafida School, located in Deir el-Balah. The Gaza health ministry issued a statement echoing the same casualty figures.

The Israeli military responded with its statement, confirming that the airstrike targeted a Hamas command center embedded within the school. According to the military, the command center was being used to coordinate attacks on Israeli forces. The military did not provide specific casualty figures from this incident.

Continued Strikes on Civilian Shelters

This attack follows a series of strikes on civilian shelters in Gaza, where many displaced Palestinians have sought refuge due to ongoing fighting. On September 26, at least 15 people were killed in a similar attack on a school-turned-shelter in the Jabalia camp.

The Israeli military has accused Hamas of hiding in civilian buildings, including schools, where thousands of Palestinians have been sheltering. Hamas has denied these accusations.

Further Operations in Jabalia

In a separate statement, the Israeli military confirmed an airstrike on a medical compound in Jabalia, which reportedly killed 12 fighters from Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. According to local sources, the strike hit the Al-Yemen Al-Saeed Hospital, where displaced civilians had been taking refuge. Witnesses reported seeing dismembered and burned bodies among the victims.

Since the escalation of military operations in Jabalia over the past week, at least 140 people have been killed, according to Gaza’s civil defense agency. The ongoing conflict has claimed the lives of more than 42,000 Palestinians, the majority of whom are civilians, based on data provided by Gaza's health ministry.

The situation in Gaza remains dire as the conflict continues to intensify.