Image Credits : Al Jazeera
An Israeli airstrike on al-Tabin School in Gaza City killed over 100 Palestinians, with many others injured. An investigation by Al Jazeera suggests that the attack was “deliberately timed” to maximize civilian casualties, with the strike coinciding with dawn prayers at the attached mosque, where many displaced civilians had sought refuge.
The investigation revealed that the attack carried out with guided missiles, penetrated the mosque’s roof and exploded on the ground floor, where the men’s chapel was situated. Contrary to the Israeli military’s claims that the strike targeted Hamas and Islamic Jihad fighters, the evidence pointed to a calculated move aimed at causing mass civilian deaths. Photos and survivor testimonies corroborate this, showing that fire broke out in areas not exclusively targeted by the strike, killing and injuring civilians.
This latest tragedy in the ongoing conflict has drawn international attention, with the UN Security Council convening for its 24th special session since the conflict began on October 7. The council faces the challenge of addressing the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza as violence continues to escalate.
In a separate incident, at least 10 people were killed and several wounded in an overnight Israeli strike on a home in the Abasan al-Kabira area of eastern Khan Younis, according to the Wafa news agency. Meanwhile, Israel’s military is investigating a statement by Hamas’s armed wing regarding the death of an Israeli captive in Gaza and the wounding of two others.
The war on Gaza has claimed the lives of 39,929 people and wounded 92,240, according to recent reports. The conflict, which began with Hamas-led attacks on October 7 that killed 1,139 people in Israel and saw more than 200 taken captive, has since spiralled into a devastating cycle of violence.
Hamas’s armed wing, the Qassam Brigades, announced that they had struck Tel Aviv and its surroundings with two M-90 missiles, which have a range of 90 kilometres. In a statement on their official Telegram channel, the Brigades said the attack was in retaliation for the “massacres and forced displacement perpetrated by Israel.”
As the situation deteriorates, Hamas has called on the U.S., Qatar, and Egypt to implement the ceasefire proposal put forward by US President Joe Biden, urging against further rounds of negotiations that could delay the end of hostilities.