Israeli Strike Claims Seven Lives at Gaza School Compound, According to Palestinian Medics

By Nidal al-Mughrabi

CAIRO – An Israeli airstrike on a school sheltering displaced families in Gaza City resulted in the deaths of seven people on Sunday, according to Palestinian health officials. The Israeli military claimed the strike targeted militants operating from the compound.

The airstrike hit Kafr Qasem School in the Beach camp around 11 a.m. local time. Among those killed was Majed Saleh, the director of Hamas’s Public Works and Housing ministry.

Israel’s military asserted that the operation aimed at Hamas fighters and that measures had been taken to minimize civilian casualties through aerial surveillance.

In response to ongoing allegations from Israel, Hamas, the ruling Islamist militant group in Gaza, consistently denies using civilian spaces, such as hospitals and schools, for military purposes since the onset of the near year-long conflict.

This strike and other incidents of violence in Gaza coincided with a rise in clashes between Israeli forces and Iran-backed Hezbollah across the Lebanese border, raising concerns about a potential escalation in regional unrest.

Health officials reported that additional airstrikes in central and southern Gaza resulted in the deaths of six more Palestinians, bringing Sunday’s total fatalities to 16.

In Rafah, near the Gaza-Egypt border, witnesses noted that Israeli tanks advanced into the western parts of the city, where military operations have been ongoing since May, taking positions overlooking the coastal route.

Israel’s insistence on maintaining control over the border area between Rafah and Egypt remains a significant hurdle in international efforts to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

Hamas’s armed faction reported several attacks against Israeli forces in Rafah, including the use of anti-tank rockets and explosives against positions held by Israeli troops.

On Saturday, the Israeli military communicated that its forces, active in Rafah since May, have eliminated numerous militants in recent weeks and have dismantled military infrastructure and tunnel networks.

On Sunday, Gaza’s health ministry issued a warning that essential hospital services could come to a halt within ten days due to severe shortages of spare parts and fuel for generators.

Compounding the difficulties, heavy rain caused flooding in tent encampments overnight.

One displaced woman, Aya, expressed her struggles in Deir Al-Balah, stating, “Ten minutes of rain were enough to sink the tents. What if it rained all day? Tents are already worn out and can’t withstand winter.” She added, “We don’t want new tents. We want the war to end. We don’t want temporary solutions in hell.”

Juliette Touma, Director of Communications for the UN Palestinian refugee agency, called for more shelters and supplies to help people prepare for the upcoming winter. She warned that with the onset of rain and falling temperatures, illnesses could become more prevalent, particularly among vulnerable children.

This ongoing conflict, part of the broader Israeli-Palestinian dispute, erupted on October 7 when Hamas launched an attack on Israel, leading to the deaths of approximately 1,200 people and the abduction of about 250 hostages according to Israeli sources. In retaliation, Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has reportedly resulted in over 41,300 Palestinian deaths and the displacement of nearly the entire population of 2.3 million.