At least 28 people, including children, have been killed in a wave of Israeli strikes across the Gaza Strip, according to Gaza’s civil defence agency. Among the sites hit was a school that had been sheltering displaced families, resulting in the deaths of eight individuals, including four children. This escalation has drawn widespread international concern.
Tragedy Strikes School Sheltering Families
The Musa bin Nusair school in Gaza City, repurposed as a shelter for displaced Palestinians, was targeted over the weekend. The Israeli military alleges that a Hamas command center was operating within the school compound. Survivors describe waking to a devastating explosion that brought down walls and scattered shrapnel. One displaced man recounted, “Stones and shrapnel were flying; the school’s walls fell on our heads.”
Calls for Ceasefire Around Hospitals
The UN has urged Israel to halt attacks near hospitals, including the Kamal Adwan hospital, which sustained damage to its generators and fuel tanks. Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, the hospital’s director, warned that relocating operations could endanger patients. The World Health Organization (WHO) has called for an immediate ceasefire to protect healthcare workers and facilities.
Pope Francis and International Pleas for Peace
Pope Francis condemned the strikes, decrying the “cruelty” of targeting children, schools, and hospitals. Meanwhile, Palestinian groups have hinted at progress toward a ceasefire, raising hopes for an end to the 14-month-long conflict. The war, which began after Hamas’ unprecedented attack on southern Israel in October 2023, has claimed more than 45,000 Palestinian lives, according to Gaza’s health ministry.
Global Response and Ongoing Conflict
As the situation unfolds, the international community remains divided. While Israel defends its actions as necessary to combat Hamas, global organizations and leaders continue to call for restraint and humanitarian relief.
For more information, visit BBC News. Related updates on the conflict can also be found on Eurasia Sports.
