An Israeli airstrike claimed the lives of seven individuals at a school in Gaza City on Sunday, according to Palestinian health officials. The school was serving as a shelter for displaced families. The Israeli military, however, stated that the strike was aimed at militants operating within the compound. The attack occurred at approximately 11 a.m. at Kafr Qasem School in Beach camp. Among the deceased was Majed Saleh, the director of the Hamas-run Public Works and Housing ministry.
The Israeli military asserted that the strike was directed at Hamas fighters and that measures were taken to minimize civilian casualties, including aerial surveillance. Hamas has consistently refuted Israeli allegations that it uses hospitals and other civilian structures for military purposes during the ongoing conflict. The incident in Gaza coincided with a surge in strikes between Israel and Hezbollah forces along the Lebanese border, raising concerns of broader regional instability.
In separate airstrikes across central and southern Gaza, six additional Palestinians were killed, bringing the total number of Palestinians killed by Israeli strikes on Sunday to 16. In Rafah, near Gaza's border with Egypt, residents reported Israeli tanks advancing towards the western part of the city, where the army has been active since May. This development underscores the ongoing tension over Israel's demand to maintain control of the southern border line between Rafah and Egypt, a key issue in international efforts to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
Hamas's armed wing claimed responsibility for several attacks against Israeli forces in Rafah, including the use of anti-tank rockets and detonating bombs in houses occupied by Israeli troops. The Israeli military reported that forces operating in Rafah since May have eliminated dozens of militants and dismantled military infrastructure and tunnel shafts. Meanwhile, Gaza's health ministry issued a warning that hospital services could cease within ten days due to shortages of essential spare parts and fuel needed for generators.
The dire situation was further exacerbated by heavy rain, which flooded tent encampments overnight. Aya, a displaced resident of Deir Al Balah, expressed her despair, stating, "We don't want new tents. We want the war to end. We don't want temporary solutions in hell." Juliette Touma, Director of Communications for the U.N. Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA, emphasized the urgent need for additional shelters and supplies to assist people in coping with the approaching winter.
The current conflict, part of the longstanding Israeli-Palestinian dispute, was ignited on October 7 when Hamas launched an attack on Israel, resulting in the deaths of 1,200 people and the capture of approximately 250 hostages, according to Israeli figures. In response, Israel's assault on Gaza has led to the deaths of over 41,300 Palestinians and displaced nearly the entire population of 2.3 million.
