Israeli strike on Gaza school refuge leaves nearly 100 dead
A question mark looms over scheduled ceasefire negotiations in 5 days between Hamas and Israel, as an IDF airstrike on Gaza City school has killed around 100 people, according to the Gaza Civil Emergency Service, reported Reuters on August 10th.
The school, sheltering Palestinian families from the war, was said to have 20 militants operating inside of it, according to Israel.
Footage of the site showed body parts scattered among dead bodies, which were being carried away whilst some lay on the floor, covered by blankets. Puddles of blood were found littered by empty food cans surrounded by burnt mattresses and debris.
Another video showed men praying over a dozen body bags laid out in the Tabeen school complex.
Gaza’s Civil Emergency Service, which holds a credible record in stating casualty numbers, and the Hamas-run government media office released separate statements revealing that the complex was attacked whilst its occupants were performing dawn prayers.
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“So far, there are more than 93 martyrs, including 11 children and six women. There are unidentified remains,” said Mahmoud Bassal, the Palestinian civil defence spokesperson, in a televised press conference.
Tens of thousands of Palestinians have been forced to flee their homes, resorting to shelter in closed schools, prisons and places of worship amidst the war, which has entered its tenth month of fighting.
Bassal confirmed that around 350 families were sheltering at the compound, most staying on the upper floor and the lower floor being used as a mosque. According to the spokesperson, the strike affected both levels.
The Israeli military said that the death toll was inflated, with Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani stating that figures published by the Hamas-run media office did not correspond with the IDF’s information, which the army has not provided evidence for.
“The compound, and the mosque that was struck within it, served as an active Hamas and Islamic Jihad military facility,” posted Shoshani on X.
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An Israeli army official said the part of the mosque bombed was reserved for men.
“This was verified by intelligence, and the strike was carried out using three small, precise munitions which cannot cause the scale of damage that the Palestinians are reporting,” added the official.
Israel has repeatedly claimed that Palestinian militants embed themselves among civilians in Gaza by operating in schools, hospitals and designated humanitarian zones – a claim that Hamas and allied groups have denied.
Hamas’ political office labelled the strike a horrific crime and a serious escalation, adding that not a single combatant lay amongst the dead.
The Israeli military said on a separate occasion that the head of general security in Hamas’ military wing, Walid Alsousi, was assassinated in Southern Gaza. However, Hamas has not provided an immediate comment.
Nations worldwide, including Egypt, Qatar, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey, have condemned the strike. Though statements of condemnation are no longer sufficient, said Khalil Al-Hayya, who serves as the Head of the Hamas team for indirect ceasefire talks with Israel. Speaking to Al-Jazeera television, he urged such nations to “dismiss (Israeli) ambassadors, close down embassies, and sever ties with the occupation,”
The impact of the strike has been felt beyond Gaza as the attack could be seen as a turning point for ceasefire talks, said senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri.
Reuters and agencies
