The Israeli airstrike on the al-Sardi school in Deir al-Balah killed at least 40 Palestinians, including 23 women and children. The missiles struck the second and third floors of the school, which housed approximately 6,000 displaced Palestinians.
The attack on the UNRWA school has drawn international condemnation and demands for accountability.
European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell Fontelles called for an independent investigation into the Israeli attack on the UN school in Nuseirat. Fontelles emphasised the necessity of such investigations to align with ICJ orders and ensure transparency.
Hospital records and firsthand accounts confirmed the loss of life, including the death of a child whose skull was shattered.
The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) has demanded an inquiry into the attack.
Evidence from the site of the school bombing indicates that a US-made GBU 39 missile was used in the attack. This same weapon was involved in a previous strike near UNRWA facilities, which resulted in fires and further casualties.
The Israeli military maintains that the school was targeted due to the presence of Hamas and Islamic Jihad fighters allegedly using it as an operations centre. However, the lack of evidence and the significant civilian toll have fuelled international criticism. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu labelled the strike a “tragic mistake.”
Medical organisations like Médicins Sans Frontières (MSF) report overwhelmed medics struggling to manage the influx of casualties. Israel’s war on Gaza has continued for eight months, with Israeli troops facing fierce resistance from Hamas fighters employing guerrilla tactics.
While Israel asserts that Hamas utilises civilian facilities for protection, Hamas officials have denied such claims, insisting that their operations are conducted away from populated areas.
Meanwhile, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues to escalate. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, Israeli attacks have killed at least 68 Palestinians and wounded 235 others in the past 24 hours alone.
An Israeli attack on the Nuseirat refugee camp killed at least 40 Palestinians and wounded dozens. Israeli fighter jets targeted a UN-run school sheltering displaced individuals, a move confirmed by the Israeli military.
As Israel continues its attacks on Gaza despite mounting civilian casualties, Spain has announced its decision to join South Africa’s case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The case accuses Israel of violating the Genocide Convention during its military operations in Gaza. The ICJ had previously ordered Israel to stop its attacks and allow humanitarian aid into Gaza, directives that Israel has ignored.
Since Israel escalated its attacks on Gaza on 7 October, it has killed at least 36,654 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and wounded 83,309 others. Israel has also destroyed over 75 percent of Gaza’s civilian infrastructure and continued to block the entry of humanitarian aid, causing widespread hunger in the enclave, which is home to around 2.5 million people.