Israeli airstrikes on school compounds sheltering displaced Palestinians in Gaza have killed at least 48 people, including seven children, according to hospital officials. The attacks, which occurred in areas such as Al Bureij camp, devastated makeshift shelters where thousands had sought refuge, leaving dozens more injured and sparking frantic rescue efforts among the rubble.
Israeli Strikes Continue and Civilians Are Killed as Gaza’s Healthcare Struggles Amid Ongoing Humanitarian Crisis
At the Al Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza, the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital confirmed 33 deaths, many of them women and children. Eyewitnesses described horrific scenes of injured civilians and scattered belongings. Safaa Al Khaldi, a mother at the scene, described how her son was wounded, voicing desperation over the worsening humanitarian crisis: “Our children are starving… What did we do wrong?”
The Israel Defense Forces stated the airstrike targeted a Hamas command center allegedly embedded within the school, though it offered no detailed evidence. In a rare public rebuke, a woman at the site angrily blamed Hamas for endangering civilians by operating among them, highlighting internal frustration within Gaza’s population.
48 Dead as Israeli Airstrikes Hit Gaza Schools Sheltering Civilians, Deepening Humanitarian CrisisThe strike followed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s announcement of an expanded military campaign, which he claimed would include moving Gaza’s population southward “to protect them.” This so-called “intensified operation” has raised fears of a deeper humanitarian crisis, as some Israeli officials frame it as a step toward the “conquest” of Gaza.
Israeli Strikes Continue and Civilians Are Killed as Gaza’s Healthcare Struggles Amid Ongoing Humanitarian Crisis
Just a day later, Israeli strikes continued, hitting a school in the Al-Tuffah neighborhood and killing at least 15 more civilians. Near the Palmyra market in Gaza City, another bombing killed 33 people and injured 85, with graphic scenes of bloodied victims, including children, highlighting the human toll. One child was seen calling out to his dead father in heartbreaking video footage.
Among the deceased was journalist Yehya Sobeih, who had recently become a father. His death underscores the broad impact of the strikes on all sectors of Gaza’s society. The continued targeting of public spaces and civilian areas has made daily survival increasingly perilous for the local population.
Gaza’s healthcare system is nearing collapse. The Palestine Red Crescent Society reported that nearly half of its clinics are shut, and most hospitals are only partially functional. Aid agencies attribute this to Israel’s blockade, which has halted the flow of food and medical supplies, compounding the already dire conditions.
The United Nations and its humanitarian wing, OCHA, condemned the worsening situation, warning of a “deepening catastrophe.” OCHA reminded all parties of their obligations under international law to protect civilians and ensure access to essentials like food, water, and healthcare, calling for immediate relief measures amidst the escalating violence.