An Israeli airstrike on a school building in central Gaza has reportedly claimed the lives of at least 17 individuals, as confirmed by the Al-Awda hospital. According to reports from AFP and Reuters, the strike occurred on Thursday at the Al-Shuhada school situated in the Nuseirat refugee camp. The Hamas-run government media office corroborated the death toll, noting that the school was serving as a refuge for displaced persons.
Witnesses have shared harrowing videos from the scene, which have been verified by the BBC, showing wounded children being carried away by men. In a statement, Israel announced that it targeted a Hamas command center at that location, alleging it was utilized by the group to plan and carry out attacks against Israel and its military forces.
The government media office mentioned that “thousands of displaced people” were sheltering at the school when the strike occurred, the majority of whom were children and women. Among the deceased were nine children, with over 52 others reported injured.
Mahmud Bassal, spokesperson for Gaza’s civil defense agency, also confirmed to AFP that 17 individuals had died, with dozens more injured. In recent weeks, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have conducted strikes on numerous buildings being used as shelters throughout Gaza, claiming to target Hamas operatives and infrastructure.
It’s worth noting that Israel restricts access for international media outlets, including the BBC, complicating efforts to independently verify facts on the ground. As a result, information is primarily gathered from video evidence, witness accounts, and official statements from both Israeli and Hamas sources.
In northern Gaza, the IDF is intensifying a prolonged offensive against what it describes as regrouped Hamas fighters. The Hamas-run health ministry reports that at least 650 people have died since the new offensive began.
The Israeli military has stated its continued efforts to facilitate civilian evacuations while simultaneously conducting operations against what it terms “terrorists and terrorist infrastructure.” However, many residents are reportedly facing dire conditions as they are either unwilling or unable to comply with Israeli evacuation orders, leading to shortages of food and essential supplies.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has highlighted that in the first three weeks of October, Israeli authorities allowed only four out of 70 coordinated aid missions to reach northern Gaza. Recently, the U.S. issued a warning to Israel, urging an increase in humanitarian aid to avoid potential cuts to military assistance.
Cogat, the Israeli military body overseeing humanitarian matters in Gaza, indicated that food, water, and medical supplies were transferred to the northern region over the past week. However, OCHA has reiterated that access for humanitarian aid remains severely restricted.
Moreover, the last phase of an emergency polio vaccination campaign has been delayed by UN agencies due to ongoing intense bombardments, mass displacement, and lack of access. This phase, which was supposed to start on Wednesday, aims to address the first case of polio reported in Gaza in 25 years that left a baby boy paralyzed. Almost 120,000 children in northern Gaza were slated to receive a second dose of the oral polio vaccine.
