Israeli military bombing of Gaza school results in 21 deaths, say officials
The IDF has targeted the al-Falah school in Gaza City, an act that local officials are describing as a “horrific massacre.” Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
Authorities in Gaza have charged the IDF with executing a "horrific massacre" during an airstrike on the al-Falah school, which was being used as a refuge for displaced Palestinians.
The government of the enclave reported that the strike by an Israeli drone resulted in the deaths of at least 21 individuals, including 13 children. The incident occurred at the Zeitoun neighborhood's al-Falah school on Saturday morning and also claimed the lives of six women and an infant aged three months. The Government Media Office reported at least 30 injured, with two individuals still missing following the strike.
At the time of the strike, a number of displaced Palestinians were inside the school, which, along with other public infrastructures, has been converted into shelters by the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees since the outbreak of hostilities between Israel and Hamas last October.
The Israeli military has countered by accusing Hamas of using civilian infrastructure, such as schools, to hide weapons, tunnels, and command centers, claiming that the al-Falah school was housing a Hamas command center. An IDF statement on Saturday articulated that the school was targeted due to it containing a Hamas command room.
“Before the attack, many steps were taken to reduce the chance of harming civilians, including the use of precision weaponry” and aerial surveillance, the IDF claimed. “The IDF will continue to act with strength and determination against terrorist organizations that use schools and civilian institutions as shelter.”
This strike at the al-Falah school followed a similar incident just over a week earlier at the al-Jaouni school in central Gaza, where the IDF also maintained that a “command and control center” for Hamas had been hidden. That previous attack had resulted in many casualties, including six UN aid workers.
Repeated strikes have been conducted on both the al-Falah and al-Jaouni schools since the onset of the conflict, with the al-Jaouni school being targeted five times in under a year. Footage captured by Palestinian journalist Islam Bader showed emergency workers navigating through debris following the recent airstrike on the al-Falah school. The footage revealed collapsed floors and significantly damaged exterior walls.
Hamas had initiated a sudden assault on Israel last October, which resulted in approximately 1,100 deaths and 250 hostages taken to Gaza. Israel declared war in response and has since then imposed an extensive blockade on Gaza. The protracted conflict has led to over 40,000 deaths in Gaza, as per the latest data from the local health ministry, and has resulted in the displacement of the majority of the enclave's population, leading to a dire humanitarian situation highlighted in a recent report by the UN’s humanitarian affairs agency.
Camille Lefevre for TROIB News
The government of the enclave reported that the strike by an Israeli drone resulted in the deaths of at least 21 individuals, including 13 children. The incident occurred at the Zeitoun neighborhood's al-Falah school on Saturday morning and also claimed the lives of six women and an infant aged three months. The Government Media Office reported at least 30 injured, with two individuals still missing following the strike.
At the time of the strike, a number of displaced Palestinians were inside the school, which, along with other public infrastructures, has been converted into shelters by the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees since the outbreak of hostilities between Israel and Hamas last October.
The Israeli military has countered by accusing Hamas of using civilian infrastructure, such as schools, to hide weapons, tunnels, and command centers, claiming that the al-Falah school was housing a Hamas command center. An IDF statement on Saturday articulated that the school was targeted due to it containing a Hamas command room.
“Before the attack, many steps were taken to reduce the chance of harming civilians, including the use of precision weaponry” and aerial surveillance, the IDF claimed. “The IDF will continue to act with strength and determination against terrorist organizations that use schools and civilian institutions as shelter.”
This strike at the al-Falah school followed a similar incident just over a week earlier at the al-Jaouni school in central Gaza, where the IDF also maintained that a “command and control center” for Hamas had been hidden. That previous attack had resulted in many casualties, including six UN aid workers.
Repeated strikes have been conducted on both the al-Falah and al-Jaouni schools since the onset of the conflict, with the al-Jaouni school being targeted five times in under a year. Footage captured by Palestinian journalist Islam Bader showed emergency workers navigating through debris following the recent airstrike on the al-Falah school. The footage revealed collapsed floors and significantly damaged exterior walls.
Hamas had initiated a sudden assault on Israel last October, which resulted in approximately 1,100 deaths and 250 hostages taken to Gaza. Israel declared war in response and has since then imposed an extensive blockade on Gaza. The protracted conflict has led to over 40,000 deaths in Gaza, as per the latest data from the local health ministry, and has resulted in the displacement of the majority of the enclave's population, leading to a dire humanitarian situation highlighted in a recent report by the UN’s humanitarian affairs agency.
Camille Lefevre for TROIB News
