In a devastating airstrike on Wednesday morning, more than 100 Palestinians were killed during morning prayers at a school in the al-Daraj neighborhood of central Gaza. The school, named at-Tabi’in, was sheltering refugees when it was hit by three rockets, according to a report by Al-Jazeera. Dozens more were injured in the attack.
Eyewitnesses described the horrific scene, with bodies dismembered and scattered around the site due to the sheer intensity of the explosion. The Civil Defense Organization of the Gaza Strip confirmed that emergency response teams have struggled to assist the wounded and recover the bodies of the deceased due to the extensive destruction caused by the strike.
"The situation on the ground is dire," a spokesperson for the Civil Defense said. "Our forces are working tirelessly to contain the fires and locate survivors amidst the rubble."
The Israeli military has claimed responsibility for the airstrike, stating that the school was being used as a Hamas command center. However, this claim has sparked outrage and further intensified the ongoing conflict, with international observers calling for an immediate ceasefire and an independent investigation into the incident.
The attack comes amidst escalating violence in the region, with Israeli airstrikes targeting multiple sites in Gaza in response to rocket fire from the territory. The humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues to worsen, with the United Nations and various humanitarian organizations expressing deep concern over the rising civilian casualties and the destruction of essential infrastructure, including schools and hospitals.
The Gaza Strip, home to over two million people, has been under a strict blockade by Israel and Egypt since 2007. The blockade, coupled with the ongoing military conflict, has led to severe shortages of food, medical supplies, and other essentials, further exacerbating the suffering of the civilian population.
As the international community calls for an end to the violence, the latest strike on the school has brought renewed attention to the plight of Palestinian civilians caught in the crossfire. Diplomatic efforts to broker a ceasefire have intensified, but a resolution remains elusive as the conflict continues to escalate
