An official from the U.N. said that a strike at a school operated by the United Nations, which was used by thousands of displaced persons in northern Gaza as a place to shelter, killed at least 24 individuals.
Palestinian officials reported on Saturday that Israeli forces had attacked the Al-Fakhura, a school in Jabaliya, northern Gaza, where adults and kids were sheltering.
Philippe Lazzarini is the head of the U.N. agency which aids Palestinian refugees. He gave an official death toll and stated that nearly 7,000 people were sheltering inside the school at the time the strike occurred. He did give a number of the injured or indicate who was to blame.
The Israeli military confirmed that they had received reports about an incident that occurred in the Jabaliya region on Saturday and were reviewing it. “committed to international law including taking feasible steps to minimize harm to civilians.”
Mr. Lazzarini stated that another school in Gaza City was being used to shelter 4,000 displaced persons at the time. “directly struck” On Friday, ambulances will be available “could not reach the school to provide help.” UNRWA, his agency, believes that scores of people have been killed or injured, but does not know the exact number.
The United Nations secretary general, António Guterres, said hundreds of thousands of Palestinian civilians have sought shelters at U.N. facilities throughout Gaza. “I reaffirm that our premises are inviolable,” He said this in a Sunday statement.
At least 176 displaced people sheltering at schools run by UNRWA have been reported killed and nearly 800 wounded since the start of Israel’s bombing campaign against Gaza on Oct. 7, according to the UNRWA statement. Schools in Gaza have suspended classes and been turned into shelters.
The agency stated that it is still verifying their figures on the dead and injured, but has confirmed that at minimum 17 of its facilities were directly damaged.
You can also find out more about the following: “large number of UNRWA facilities hit and the number of civilians killed cannot just be ‘collateral damage’,” In the statement, Mr. Lazzarini stated. The agency’s facilities were clearly marked as U.N. buildings and their coordinates were regularly shared with both sides of the conflict, he said, adding that “This is yet another proof that no one, and nowhere is safe in Gaza.”
UNRWA reported that a strike also struck the Al-Fakhura School on November 4, killing 12 people and injuring 54 more.
According to UNRWA, almost 900,000 displaced people are sheltering in the agency’s facilities across the Gaza Strip. Many of them fled the northern Gaza Strip after Israeli forces ordered it to be evacuated due to an increase in fighting.
Families sheltering in UNRWA schools described overcrowded conditions where food and water was scarce.
Ihab Abedrabo told AFP that he, his wife and six children were sheltering at a U.N.-run school in Khan Younis, a southern city, after a bomb damaged their home.
Like thousands of other families, his family fled to the school in hopes that they would stay safe. But Mr. Abedrabo said this when a strike hit nearby earlier this week and sent shrapnel into the school, he again feared for his relatives’ lives.
“No place is safe,” He said. “However, I can’t think of a safer place to go.”
Abu Bakr bashir Contributed reporting by London