The Israeli military reported Thursday that it had conducted a lethal strike on a UN school in Gaza, asserting that it targeted a Hamas compound within the facility. Hamas claimed the attack resulted in the deaths of at least 27 individuals.
According to the military, the strike aimed to eliminate several “terrorists” in a precise operation on a Hamas compound situated within a UNRWA school in the Nuseirat area of central Gaza. UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, oversees the school.
Hamas’s media office condemned the strike as a “horrific massacre,” alleging it killed 27 people and left dozens wounded, describing the incident as an affront to humanity.
The deadliest conflict in Gaza’s history was ignited by Hamas’s October 7 assault on southern Israel, resulting in the deaths of 1,194 individuals, primarily civilians, as per a count based on Israeli official data.
The subsequent Israeli bombardment and ground offensive claimed the lives of at least 36,586 individuals in Gaza, the majority being civilians, according to Gaza’s health ministry, which is controlled by Hamas.
Israel has faced mounting diplomatic isolation over its conduct during the conflict, with legal actions initiated against it in two international courts and several European nations recognizing a Palestinian state.
Israel has frequently accused Hamas and its allies in Gaza of using civilian infrastructure, such as schools and health facilities, for military purposes, a claim vehemently denied by the militants.
UNRWA, responsible for coordinating aid in Gaza, has been in turmoil since January, when Israel accused approximately a dozen of its 13,000 employees in the territory of involvement in the October 7 attack.
The latest strike occurred as US, Qatari, and Egyptian mediators resumed discussions on Wednesday to broker a ceasefire and negotiate the release of hostages.
