An Israeli airstrike on Gaza City’s Yafa School – recently used as shelter for displaced families – on April 23 has destroyed it and resulted in at least 10 casualties, further compounding Gaza’s humanitarian crisis and intensifying the dangers faced by civilians as hostilities continue. Reuters.com
Local health officials reported that an electric strike struck tents pitched within school grounds, setting off intense blazes that quickly consumed classrooms and sleeping quarters before spreading to burn at least 10 people – including children – including at least nine fatalities and many trapped inside burning tents and debris. Rescuers described horrifying scenes while searching through charred wreckage for survivors.
Eyewitness Um Mohammed Al-Hwaiti remembered hearing an explosion at night; people started shouting and men carried children screaming: ‘Dear God, dear God – there is no one but You!'” Reuters.com.
Israel’s Justification and Denial The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) asserted that their attack targeted Hamas militants and infrastructure, with no indications of civilian deaths; however, no independent verification took place; journalists on the ground reported substantial civilian losses as reported by IDF intelligence and reporters themselves.
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Pattern of Attacks on Shelters
Schools serving as makeshift shelters during the Gaza conflict have come under attack on multiple occasions, killing at least 36 civilians including 18 children when airstrikes struck Fahmi al-Jarjawi School in Gaza City’s Daraj district in late May; over 50 more were injured as video footage clearly depicted children being burned while firefighters raced to put out flames and extinguish them before firefighters could arrive on scene to extinguish any more fires. (Source Wikipedia + Al Jazeera +5/aljazeera/aljazeera) (source Wikipedia+5 + Aljazeera/video +5
Under United Nations estimates, more than 200 schools and universities have been damaged or destroyed since the conflict started, many acting as emergency refugee facilities. Aid agencies have denounced this violation of international humanitarian law as illegal.
Human Toll and Emergency Response Hampered
Gaza’s healthcare system–already beleaguered by shortages of fuel, medicine and staff–has now been overwhelmed by mass casualty events. The government-run health ministry reports thousands of deaths since March’s ceasefire collapse and warns essential services are collapsing; during Yafa strike alone children and the elderly were among those killed, prompting calls for urgent medical aid and protective measures.
Humanitarian organizations argue that civilians who have sought sanctuary in schools after losing their homes now face lethal threats even as schools remain safe havens. UNRWA officials emphasize how such attacks violate laws protecting civilian infrastructure and educational facilities in conflict zones. (Enwikipedia.org)
Global Outrage and Calls for Accountability International outrage has reached unprecedented levels. Human rights organizations including OHCHR and UNRWA have strongly condemned the airstrike as potential war crime and demanded independent investigations and accountability measures be taken against those responsible. European Union and United States representatives have voiced deep concern, calling upon all parties involved to ensure civilian protection measures are put in place immediately. http://enwikipedia.org/wikipedia/dispute.
Diplomatic efforts to reinstate a ceasefire have intensified, but attacks on shelters threaten to scuttle negotiations. Egypt and Qatar are mediating talks in Cairo while U.S. envoys advocate for humanitarian pauses; yet without an effective framework that protects civilians and ensures aid flows, any peace treaty remains tenuous.
Looking Ahead With Gaza’s civilian population suffering yet another strike–particularly on shelter–aid agencies are warning of an impending catastrophe. Protecting civilians should take top priority in any ceasefire agreement, with provisions specifically protecting schools, hospitals, and shelters from destruction. Without an international oversight mechanism in place to guarantee this commitment displacement and civilian suffering are certain to worsen further.