At least 30 Palestinians were killed on Sunday after an Israeli airstrike hit the Fahmi al-Jarjawi school in Gaza, which was being used as a shelter for displaced civilians, according to local health authorities. The attack is part of a broader wave of deadly Israeli strikes across the Gaza Strip, further deepening the humanitarian crisis in the war-ravaged enclave.
Civilian Deaths Mount in Gaza Strikes
Casualties were reported in Khan Younis, Jabalia, and Nuseirat, where Israeli forces carried out strikes throughout Sunday. Among those killed:
- Hassan Majdi Abu Warda, a local journalist, and several of his family members, died in an airstrike on their home in Jabalia.
- Ashraf Abu Nar, a senior official in Gaza’s civil emergency services, and his wife were killed in their home in Nuseirat.
The Gaza government media office stated that Abu Warda’s death brings the total number of Palestinian journalists killed since October 2023 to 220.
Later, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) confirmed the deaths of two staff members, Ibrahim Eid and Ahmad Abu Hilal, in a separate strike on a house in Khan Younis on Saturday. The ICRC condemned the rising civilian toll and renewed its urgent call for a ceasefire and the protection of humanitarian and medical personnel.
Israel Justifies Strike on School Shelter
In a joint statement, the Israeli military and Shin Bet claimed—without providing evidence—that the Fahmi al-Jarjawi school, which was sheltering displaced Palestinians, was being used as a “command and control center” by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Despite acknowledging that the site was a civilian shelter, the military maintained that “numerous steps were taken to mitigate harm to civilians.”
Eyewitnesses and medics, however, described the aftermath as devastating, with entire families killed and many of the victims burned beyond recognition. The strike adds to a long list of attacks on civilian shelters since the war began.
The Israeli military said Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir visited troops in Khan Younis on Sunday, reiterating the goal to dismantle Hamas and secure the return of hostages. The military did not directly comment on the school strike.
Israel Now Controls 77% of Gaza
According to the Gaza media office, Israeli forces now control 77% of the Gaza Strip, either through direct ground presence or through airstrikes and forced evacuations.
Despite this, armed factions including Hamas and Islamic Jihad said they continue to resist, carrying out ambushes and anti-tank attacks on Israeli forces in various areas of Gaza.
Humanitarian Catastrophe
Since October 7, 2023, Israel has waged a devastating air and ground campaign in Gaza following a Hamas-led cross-border attack that killed 1,200 people and took 251 hostages, according to Israeli figures.
In response, more than 53,900 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza’s health authorities. Aid organizations warn of widespread malnutrition, infrastructure collapse, and displacement, with 90% of Gaza’s 2 million residents forced from their homes.
Al-Aqsa Mosque Stormed by Settlers Amid ‘Jerusalem Day’
Meanwhile, tensions flared in occupied East Jerusalem as hundreds of Israeli settlers stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound on Monday, under heavy police protection, to mark Jerusalem Day — a nationalistic holiday commemorating Israel’s occupation of East Jerusalem in 1967.
Waving Israeli flags and chanting slogans, settlers entered the holy site and performed Talmudic rituals, while large crowds gathered earlier at the Western Wall for prayers. The provocative march wound through the Old City’s Muslim Quarter, an annual event that has historically led to unrest.
Palestinian residents and shopkeepers reported harassment and violence by settlers during the march. Despite the massive deployment of security forces, the event heightened tensions around one of Islam’s holiest sites, which is under Jordanian custodianship but controlled by Israel.
The storming of Al-Aqsa has drawn repeated condemnation from Muslim-majority countries and international rights groups, who warn that such actions undermine the site’s delicate status quo and risk further sectarian escalation.
