At the least 14 individuals have been killed in an Israeli air strike on a UN-run college housing displaced households within the central Gaza Strip, hospital officers and the Hamas-run Civil Defence company say.
The Israeli army stated it carried out a “exact strike on terrorists” planning assaults from inside al-Jaouni college in Nuseirat refugee camp, including that it took measures to mitigate hurt to civilians.
The Civil Defence stated a number of ladies and youngsters have been killed, together with the daughter of considered one of its rescue employees.
The UN condemned the strike, which it stated was the fifth on the identical college for the reason that begin of the struggle 11 months in the past.
In July, 16 people were reportedly killed in strike which the Israeli army stated focused a number of buildings on the college utilized by Hamas fighters.
Hamas – which is proscribed as a terrorist group by Israel, the UK and different international locations – has denied utilizing colleges and different civilian websites for army functions.
Israeli forces launched a marketing campaign to destroy Hamas in response to the group’s unprecedented assault on southern Israel on 7 October, during which about 1,200 individuals have been killed and 251 others have been taken again to Gaza as hostages.
Greater than 41,080 individuals have been killed in Gaza since then, in response to the territory’s Hamas-run well being ministry.
Video of the aftermath of Wednesday’s air strike confirmed a whole bunch of individuals inspecting the closely broken floor ground of 1 wing of al-Jaouni college, in addition to the stays of an adjoining construction that appeared to have been destroyed.
Different footage confirmed ambulances bringing wounded males, ladies and youngsters stated to have been wounded within the strike to al-Aqsa hospital within the city of Deir al-Balah.
A medical supply at al-Awda hospital in Nuseirat camp instructed the AFP information company that 9 individuals killed within the strike had been introduced there, and that six others have been taken to al-Aqsa hospital.
The Related Press cited hospital officers as saying that al-Awda had acquired 10 our bodies and al-Aqsa one other 4, and that they included one girl and two youngsters.
Civil Defence spokesman Mahmoud Bassal additionally put the demise toll at 14.
In a submit on Telegram, the company recognized a type of killed because the daughter of considered one of its rescue employees, Momin Salmi. It stated he had not seen Shadia for 10 months as a result of he had stayed in northern Gaza whereas his spouse and their eight youngsters had fled southwards.
The Israel Protection Forces (IDF) stated in a press release that plane had “carried out a exact strike on terrorists who have been working inside a Hamas command and management centre” embedded inside al-Jaouni college.
“Quite a few steps have been taken to mitigate the danger of harming civilians, together with using exact munitions, aerial surveillance and extra intelligence,” it added.
“This can be a additional instance of the Hamas terrorist organisation’s systematic abuse of civilian infrastructure in violation of worldwide regulation.”
Gaza’s Hamas-run authorities media workplace stated about 5,000 individuals have been sheltering on the college on the time of the strike and accused Israel of a “brutal bloodbath”.
There was no instant remark from the UN company for Palestinian refugees (Unrwa), which ran al-Jaouni college earlier than the struggle.
The UN stated it condemned “all air strikes that focus on civilians and people who additionally goal UN services”.
“Our coverage is evident – UN premises ought to by no means be focused, nor ought to UN premises be utilized by any teams or any power from which to launch army actions,” spokesman Stephane Dujarric instructed reporters.
Unrwa has stated that just about 70% of its colleges in Gaza have been hit over the previous 11 months. Many have been severely broken, the organisation says.
The company has additionally reported that no less than 563 displaced individuals have been killed and 1,790 others injured whereas sheltering inside its colleges and different installations.
Earlier on Wednesday, the IDF introduced that two Israeli troopers had been killed and eight others injured in a helicopter crash in a single day in southern Gaza.
The helicopter was on a mission to evacuate a critically injured soldier to a hospital for medical therapy and crashed whereas touchdown within the Rafah space, a press release stated.
“An preliminary inquiry carried out signifies that the crash was not attributable to enemy hearth. The reason for the crash continues to be underneath investigation,” it added.
