Lagatar24 Desk
Gaza City: A devastating airstrike by Israeli forces on a school in Gaza City has resulted in the deaths of approximately 100 people, according to Gaza’s civil defense agency. The school, located in the Al-Sahaba area, was struck on Saturday, with agency spokesman Mahmoud Basal describing the event as a “horrific massacre.” Many of the victims’ bodies were reportedly set ablaze in the aftermath.
The Israeli military, however, defended the strike, stating that it had “precisely struck Hamas terrorists operating within a Hamas command and control center embedded in the Al-Taba’een school.” This strike is the latest in a series of military actions as the conflict between Israel and Hamas intensifies.
This incident follows a similar event on Thursday, when Israeli strikes targeted two schools in Gaza City, resulting in over 18 deaths. In both cases, the Israeli military claimed that the schools were being used as command centers by Hamas.
The ongoing war in Gaza began following a deadly attack by Hamas on October 7, which resulted in the deaths of 1,198 people, mostly civilians, according to Israeli official figures. In response, Israel launched a retaliatory campaign against Hamas, which has so far claimed the lives of at least 39,699 people in Gaza, as reported by the Hamas-run health ministry. These figures do not distinguish between civilian and militant casualties.
Israel has pledged to dismantle Hamas in response to the October attack, but despite 10 months of conflict, the military continues to encounter resistance from militants across the Gaza Strip. On Friday, Israeli troops were reported to be operating around Khan Yunis in southern Gaza, an area previously evacuated by Israeli forces in April after intense fighting with Hamas.
The United Nations Humanitarian Office (OCHA) estimates that at least 60,000 Palestinians have been displaced within the past 72 hours, moving towards western Khan Yunis. The humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues to escalate, with concerns growing over the possibility of a broader regional conflict as Iran-aligned groups have vowed retaliation following the deaths of two senior militants, including a Hamas political leader.
