The Israel-Gaza conflict took yet another horrific turn when Israel’s air force bombed two UN-operated schools back-to-back in a day. The al-Fakhoura school, run by the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees located in the Jabalia refugee camp and Tal-al Zaatar in north Gaza.
Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud reporting from Khan Younis in southern Gaza reported how it has become a trend for Israel to attack schools, hospitals and public facilities, also adding that the multiple air raids have caused massive destruction to both the schools.
According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, in the al-Fakhoura attack on Saturday, at least 50 people have been reported dead. The two attacks have injured and killed hundreds of people.
With 200 people killed in the two attacks on the two UN-operated schools, it is expected that many are still stuck or dead under the rubble, increasing the death toll count.
“People are using shovels and bare hands to dig people out”, explains Hani Mahmoud
It is believed that the al-Fakhoura attack took place in the early morning hours whereas Tal-al Zaatar became a target later in the day. It has been alleged that hundreds of people were taking shelter in these two schools, trying to flee the non-stop Israeli bombing.
At the al-Fakhoura school, Al Jazeera’s Tareq Abou Azzoum reported the grim scene of numerous dead bodies everywhere alongside medical teams striving to evacuate the injured. Amidst Israel’s ground offensive in northern Gaza, the ongoing conflict has forced many Palestinians to seek refuge in United Nations-operated schools near the Indonesian Hospital.
People took shelter at the al-Fakhoura school in the Jabalia camp, many suffering from medical issues had thought that they could find shelter from the violence in the school.
Tareq Abou Azzoum believes that the Israeli army seems to be sending a message wherein they want the Palestinians to flee to the south of the Gaza Strip.
Israel as usual with its announcements asking individuals to leave the locations it targets before the bombing had warned the Jabalia residents and others through a social media post in Arabic to leave, and said that only its troops are active in the area. Their supposed aim was to hit the terrorists.
Israel’s comments are rare when it comes to the individual attacks wherein it says how their only targets are Hamas.
The Hamas attack in Israel confirmed the death toll to be approximately 1,200. Whereas 12,000 individuals have been killed in the Israeli strikes on Gaza since October 7.
