Israel Airstrike on Gaza School Kills 100
An Israel airstrike hit a Gaza school compound, killing about 100 people, according to the Hamas-run Gaza government. The Israeli military claimed their target was Hamas militants and questioned the reported death toll. The scene showed scattered body parts and people carrying away victims in blankets.
Targeted Area
The debris included burnt mattresses, a child’s doll, and empty food tins lying in pools of blood. Hamas’s media office said the strike happened during dawn prayers, causing many casualties. Mahmoud Bassal, a spokesperson for Palestinian Civil Defence, also reported over 93 deaths, including 11 children and six women.
Around 6,000 people were sheltering in the compound. The Gaza health ministry has not released official casualty numbers. The Israeli military disputed the death toll, stating that about 20 Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants were present. Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani said the compound and mosque were military facilities.
Shoshani noted a discrepancy between the Hamas government’s figures and the IDF’s information. He emphasized that they used precise munitions, making the reported damage unlikely. A military official said intelligence indicated that men alone used the targeted mosque area before the strike.
Bassal claimed the attack affected both upper and lower floors of the school, where women, children, and worshippers were present. Israel previously claimed militants use civilian areas in Gaza, such as schools, for operations—an accusation Hamas denies. Hamas condemned the strike as a severe escalation and a “horrific crime.”
Izzat El-Reshiq said none of the dead were combatants. Tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians have taken refuge in Gaza’s schools, which are largely non-functional. Nabil Abu Rudeineh, spokesperson for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, urged the U.S. to end its support.
Egypt, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia condemned the attack. Egypt criticized Israel for its actions, and Qatar called it a “horrific massacre.” New ceasefire talks with the U.S., Egypt, and Qatar are scheduled for Thursday amid rising conflict concerns.
Also read: Teachers Threaten To Strike In September.
