Civil defence rescuers in Gaza reported that an Israeli airstrike on Thursday hit a school-turned-shelter in the Jabalia refugee camp, killing at least 15 people. The Israeli military stated that the strike targeted a Hamas command centre inside the school, but provided no details on casualties.
Mahmud Bassal, spokesperson for the civil defence agency, confirmed that the strike on Al-Faluja School in north Gaza resulted in “15 martyrs, including children and women,” with dozens more wounded, some critically. Initial reports from Bassal had placed the death toll at seven.
The Israeli military claimed it carried out “precise strikes” against Hamas militants allegedly using the school as a command-and-control centre. However, AFP could not immediately verify the target or details of the incident.
The strike is part of ongoing Israeli military operations in Gaza following Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel. The war has displaced a large portion of Gaza’s 2.4 million residents, many of whom have sought refuge in schools. Israel has faced accusations of targeting such facilities, which Hamas is alleged to use for military purposes—a claim the group denies.
This latest strike follows another on September 11 at the UN-run Al-Jawni School, which left 18 dead, including six UNRWA staff members, prompting international condemnation.
Since the conflict began, at least 41,534 Palestinians, primarily civilians, have been killed, according to Gaza’s health ministry. The war was triggered by Hamas’s October 7 assault, which resulted in 1,205 Israeli deaths, mostly civilians, and the abduction of 251 hostages, of whom 97 remain captive, including 33 believed to be dead.
