44 Palestinians were killed in Israeli air strikes on Gaza

Deadly Overnight Strikes in Gaza Leave At Least 44 Palestinians Killed, Including in School Used as Shelter

Reports from local authorities indicate that at least 44 Palestinians were killed in two Israeli air strikes on Gaza overnight, with one of the attacks targeting a school in Gaza City’s Daraj neighborhood that was sheltering displaced families. The strikes are part of a broader intensification of Israeli military operations aimed at dismantling Hamas' military and governing capabilities, as well as securing the release of hostages taken during the October 2023 attacks.

In one of the tragic incidents, rescue workers reported that an air strike on the Fahmi Al-Jarjawi School left at least 20 people dead, most of them children, and wounded over 60 others. The school had been providing refuge to hundreds of displaced people. Mahmud Bassal, a civil defense spokesman, described the incident as a "horrific massacre" to AFP.

On the previous day, additional Israeli strikes claimed the lives of 22 people and left dozens injured across the Palestinian territory, as reported by AFP.

Israeli Military Targets ‘Key Terrorists’

In response, the Israeli military claimed responsibility for the strikes, stating they targeted a Hamas control center being used to "plan and gather intelligence for terrorist attacks against Israeli civilians and IDF troops." The military asserted that key operatives were located within a Hamas and Islamic Jihad command facility embedded in the Fahmi Al-Jarjawi School area. The IDF stated that measures were taken to minimize civilian casualties.

Israeli Operations in Gaza Continue

Despite growing international pleas to ease its blockade on aid supplies amid looming famine warnings, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirmed last week that Israel intends to maintain control over the entirety of Gaza. According to Gaza’s media office, Israel has effectively assumed control of approximately 77 percent of the enclave, employing ground forces and strategic bombardments to deter residents from returning to their homes.

The ongoing Israeli campaign, which was launched in retaliation for Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023, that resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 Israelis, has inflicted widespread devastation across Gaza, displacing nearly all of its two million residents. Estimates from Gaza health authorities report over 53,000 fatalities, many of whom are civilians, as a result of the offensive.