DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (August 10, 2024) — An Israeli airstrike early Saturday targeted the Tabeen school in Gaza City, which had been converted into a shelter for displaced people. The attack resulted in the deaths of over 60 individuals and injured at least 47, according to Palestinian health authorities. This incident marks one of the deadliest strikes in the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas.
The Israeli military has acknowledged the strike, asserting that it was aimed at a Hamas command center located within the school. However, no evidence has been provided to substantiate this claim. The school, located in central Gaza City, was being used as a refuge by approximately 6,000 displaced persons who had fled their homes due to the conflict.
The airstrike occurred in the early morning hours before sunrise, hitting the school and an adjacent mosque where many of the displaced were seeking shelter. Abu Anas, a witness involved in rescue operations, described the chaos: “There were people praying, people washing, and people sleeping upstairs, including children, women, and elderly. The missile fell on them without warning. The first missile, and the second. We recovered them as body parts.”
Mahmoud Bassal, a spokesperson for Civil Defense, reported that three missiles hit the facility, causing significant destruction. The impact left many of the deceased unrecognizable, and Bassal anticipated that the death toll might increase as rescue efforts continue.
This strike adds to a troubling pattern of attacks on civilian infrastructure in Gaza. The United Nations reported that as of early July, 477 out of 564 schools in Gaza had been either damaged or directly hit during the conflict. In a previous incident in June, an Israeli strike on another school sheltering displaced Palestinians resulted in 33 deaths.
Israeli officials have consistently blamed Hamas for civilian casualties, accusing the group of using schools and residential areas as bases for military operations, thereby endangering noncombatants. However, critics argue that these justifications do not mitigate the severe humanitarian impact of the strikes.
The timing of the airstrike coincides with renewed efforts by American, Qatari, and Egyptian mediators to broker a cease-fire. The recent escalations follow high-profile assassinations, including that of top Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and a senior Hezbollah commander in Beirut.
The ongoing conflict, which began with Hamas’ attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, has resulted in over 39,600 Palestinian deaths and more than 91,700 injuries, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The war has displaced over 1.9 million of Gaza’s 2.3 million pre-war residents, leading many to seek refuge in overcrowded tent camps across a small coastal area.
As the situation continues to evolve, international attention remains focused on the humanitarian crisis and the search for a sustainable resolution to the conflict.
