Gaza Strikes: 54 Killed – Latest Updates
- By Rushdi Abualouf, Gaza correspondent, and Helen Sullivan & Gabriela Pomeroy, BBC News
- At least 54 Palestinians died overnight in a pair of Israeli air strikes, hospital directors in Gaza said.
- The Fahmi Al-Jargawi School,housing hundreds who fled Beit Lahia,was struck,according to reports.
Israeli airstrikes have resulted in the tragic deaths of at least 54 Palestinians overnight, including children, in Gaza. A school sheltering displaced families was directly hit, with reports indicating numerous bodies among the casualties. The Israeli military claims it targeted Hamas command centers, accusing them of using civilians as human shields, while the Red Cross mourns the loss of staff members. These devastating Gaza strikes are part of an intensified offensive within northern Gaza. Additionally, aid delivery faces hurdles despite the urgent need, with international bodies calling for an end to the conflict.for the latest updates in the ongoing conflict, News Directory 3 provides the most relevant information. Learn what the future holds for the region.
Gaza School Strike Kills Dozens, Red Cross Staff Dead
By Rushdi Abualouf, Gaza correspondent, and Helen Sullivan & Gabriela Pomeroy, BBC News
At least 54 Palestinians died overnight in a pair of Israeli air strikes, hospital directors in Gaza said. One strike hit a school in Gaza City where displaced families had sought shelter.
The Fahmi Al-Jargawi School,housing hundreds who fled Beit Lahia,was struck,according to reports. A Hamas-run Civil Defense spokesperson said 20 bodies,including children,were recovered.Many were severely burned after fires swept through classrooms used as living spaces.
The Israeli military (IDF) said it targeted what it described as a Hamas and Islamic Jihad command and control center. The IDF alleged the area was used by terrorists to plan attacks and accused Hamas of using the Gazan population as human shields.
Rami Rafiq, who lives near the school, described seeing charred bodies and widespread flames.Video footage showed fires and severely burned victims, including children.
Local reports identified Mohammad Al-Kasih, head of investigations for Hamas police in northern Gaza, among the dead, along with his family.
In a separate incident, a strike on a house in Jabalia, northern Gaza, killed 19 people, according to Dr. Fadel el-Naim, director of al-Ahli hospital. The IDF has not yet commented on this strike.
These attacks are part of an intensified Israeli offensive in northern Gaza. the IDF reported hitting 200 targets in gaza over 48 hours, targeting what it called terrorist organizations.
On Friday, an Israeli strike killed nine of Dr. Alaa al-Najjar’s 10 children.Her 11-year-old son and husband were injured; the latter is in critical condition. The IDF said the incident is under review. The children were between a few months old and 12 years old.
The red Cross reported that two of its staff members were killed in a strike on their home in Khan Younis on Saturday. The ICRC condemned the deaths of Ibrahim Eid and Ahmad Abu Hilal, calling for a ceasefire and highlighting the intolerable civilian death toll in Gaza.
Jake Wood, executive director of the Gaza humanitarian foundation (GHF), resigned Sunday. The GHF is a controversial US and Israeli-approved institution that sought to use private firms to deliver aid to Gaza.Wood cited concerns that distribution plans would not meet humanitarian principles of independence and neutrality.
Despite Wood’s resignation, the GHF said it would begin direct aid delivery in Gaza on Monday, aiming to reach over one million Palestinians by the end of the week.
Israel imposed a total blockade on Gaza on March 2, lasting 11 weeks. Limited aid has since been allowed in, following warnings of famine and international pressure.
Cogat, an Israeli military body, said 388 trucks carrying aid entered Gaza since Monday. The UN says 500 to 600 trucks are needed daily.
Meanwhile,20 countries and organizations met in Madrid on Sunday to discuss ending the war in Gaza. Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares called for an arms embargo on Israel if attacks did not cease.
Israel’s military campaign in Gaza began in response to Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage. The Gaza health ministry reports that at least 53,939 people, including at least 16,500 children, have been killed in Gaza since then.