Over 100 Palestinians have been killed and dozens more injured in an Israeli airstrike on a school in Gaza City that was sheltering displaced people, according to Palestinian officials.
The al-Tabin school, located in the Daraj district, was struck by three Israeli rockets on Saturday, in what Gaza’s civil defense agency described as a “horrific massacre.”
Women, children, and the elderly were reportedly among the dead, with the death toll expected to rise. The attack occurred during morning prayers and ignited a fire that spread through the building.
Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud, reporting from Khan Younis in southern Gaza, called it a “deliberate” attack on civilians and a violation of religious rites, as it took place during a time considered sacred.
Ismail al-Thawabta, head of Gaza’s Government Media Office, told Al Jazeera that the Israeli military used three 2,000-pound (907kg) bombs in the strike and that Israel was aware of the presence of displaced people inside the school.
The Israeli military claimed the airstrike targeted a “command and control centre” that served as a hideout for Hamas terrorists and commanders, while also functioning as a shelter for Gaza City residents.
Israeli forces have repeatedly targeted schools used as shelters, alleging they are command centers for Hamas, the Palestinian group governing Gaza. Saturday’s attack marked the fourth such incident in a week. However, Israel has not provided evidence to support its claims that Hamas uses these schools for military purposes.
Hamas has denied the accusations that it operates from civilian facilities such as schools and hospitals.
Following the attack, the Gaza Government Media Office issued a statement saying, “The occupation army directly bombed the displaced people while they were performing the dawn prayer, causing the number of martyrs to rise rapidly.”
Palestinian journalist Hossam Shabat reported that rescue teams were unable to assist those trapped by the flames because the Israeli military had cut off water access to the area.
Many of the wounded, rushed to al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City, were in critical condition, suffering from severe bleeding due to shrapnel wounds or severe burns caused by the fire.
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