At least 28 people were killed in an Israeli airstrike on a school-turned-shelter in the Jabaliya neighborhood of Gaza City, amid accusations that Israel intends to forcibly expel the remaining population in a renewed campaign. land.
The bombing of the Abu Hussein school in Jabaliya on Thursday killed 28 people, including doctors and several children, and injured dozens more, according to health officials, who warned that the final toll would likely be higher. Another 11 people were killed in two separate airstrikes in Gaza City, and it was unclear how many were killed in other strikes in central and southern Gaza.
The attack on the Jabaliya school also caused a fire. “There is no water to put out the fire. There is nothing. “This is a massacre,” said doctor Medhat Abbas.
“Civilians and children are being killed and burned under fire.”
The Israeli military said the attack targeted Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad militants operating from inside the school, stating that dozens of fighters were present when the attack took place. In a statement, Hamas denied that militants were using the school as a base.
Thursday's attacks came as Israel's latest campaign in Jabaliya, a district of Gaza City, enters its second week. An estimated 400,000 people are trapped by the fighting and humanitarian supplies are dwindling. Israel has nominally controlled Gaza City since the beginning of the year, but has been repeatedly forced to intervene again in areas under its control as Hamas regrouped.
On Wednesday, after a warning from the United States that Israel must allow more aid to reach Gaza or face a cut in military support, Israel allowed 50 trucks carrying food, water and medical equipment to enter northern Gaza. Israel had previously not allowed any aid to enter the north since the beginning of the month, prompting the UN World Food Program to once again raise the alarm of impending famine.
Residents of Jabaliya said Thursday that several streets were blown up by shelling, tank fire and controlled detonations, and that Jabaliya, along with the northern cities of Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahia, are now under complete siege.
All of northern Gaza is under Israeli evacuation orders. Among those who have remained in the north are disabled or elderly people and their families, who say it is too dangerous and difficult to move.
So far, Israel has not allowed anyone above what is now known as the Netzarim corridor that divides the strip to return home; Those who cling to the north fear that if they leave, they will suffer the same fate.
“We have written our death notes and we will not abandon Jabaliya,” one resident told Reuters via a chat app.
“The occupation [Israel] He is punishing us for not leaving our homes in the first days of the war, and we will not do so now either. They are blowing up houses and roads and they are starving us, but we die once and we do not lose our pride,” said the father of four, refusing to give his name for fear of Israeli reprisals.
Earlier this week, Palestinian-Israeli human rights groups B'Tselem, Gisha, Yesh Din and Physicians for Human Rights called on the international community to prevent Israel from carrying out the “generals' plan,” described as a “starve or surrender” strategy. for Gaza City that could constitute war crimes. The IDF says it has received no such orders.
U.N. human rights chief Volker Türk warned Israel on Thursday that any “large-scale forced transfer” of civilians out of conflict-torn northern Gaza could constitute a war crime if not carried out for “reasons.” military imperatives.”
Reuters contributed to this report.
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