Israeli strike killed six of its Gaza staff – UN

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees has reported that six of its staff members were killed in an Israeli airstrike targeting one of its schools in central Gaza.

According to Gaza’s Civil Defence spokesperson, Mahmud Bassal, the strike on al-Jaouni school in Nuseirat refugee camp claimed 18 lives. The school was being used as a shelter by thousands of displaced Palestinians.

Israel’s military stated that the strike was a “precise operation” aimed at terrorists planning attacks from the school, adding that efforts were made to minimize civilian casualties.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said the attack amounted to “dramatic violations of international humanitarian law” in a post on X.

UNRWA stated that the recent attack represents “the highest death toll among our staff in a single incident” since the conflict between Israel and Hamas began in October. The agency also noted that this is the fifth time the school has been struck in the past 11 months.

In July, a separate strike reportedly killed 16 people. The Israeli military claimed it targeted structures within the school used by Hamas fighters, though Hamas, which is classified as a terrorist organization by Israel, the UK, and others, has denied using civilian sites like schools for military purposes.

Israel’s UN ambassador, Danny Danon, criticized UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ comments on the strike, stating it was “unconscionable” for the UN to condemn Israel’s actions in what he called a “just war against terrorists.”

The Israeli military campaign was launched in response to an unprecedented attack by Hamas on southern Israel on October 7, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people and 251 others being taken hostage into Gaza.

Since the start of the campaign, Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry reports over 41,080 casualties. UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric reiterated the organization’s condemnation of “all air strikes that target civilians or UN facilities.”

Footage of the aftermath of Wednesday’s air strike showed severe damage to the al-Jaouni school and neighboring structures. Video also captured ambulances transporting wounded civilians to al-Aqsa hospital in Deir al-Balah.

The Hamas-run Civil Defence agency confirmed that one of the victims was the daughter of a rescue worker, Momin Salmi, who had been separated from her for 10 months due to the conflict.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported that the strike targeted a Hamas command and control center embedded within the school.

“This is a further example of the Hamas terrorist organisation’s systematic abuse of civilian infrastructure in violation of international law.”

Gaza’s Hamas-run government media office accused Israel of a “brutal massacre”.

Later, Unrwa said in a statement that two air strikes had hit the school and its surroundings, which were home to around 12,000 displaced people, mainly women and children.

“Among those killed was the manager of the Unrwa shelter and other team members providing assistance to displaced people,” it said.

The agency insisted that “schools and other civilian infrastructure must be protected at all times”, adding: “They are not a target.”

“We call on all parties to the conflict to never use schools or the areas around them for military or fighting purposes.”

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