ISLAMABAD (PEN) : At least 30 Palestinians were killed on Sunday when an Israeli airstrike struck the Fahmi al-Jarjawi School in northern Gaza, a facility being used as a civilian shelter, according to local health officials. The incident marks one of the deadliest single attacks in recent weeks amid the ongoing conflict.
The Israeli military, in a joint statement with the Shin Bet security agency, claimed the school was being used as a “command and control center” by Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. The statement asserted that steps were taken to minimize harm to civilians but did not provide evidence supporting the claim.
The Gaza government media office, however, confirmed that the school was sheltering displaced families at the time of the strike. The building was located in Jabalia, a densely populated area in the northern Gaza Strip.
Civilian Casualties Across Gaza
In addition to the school bombing, airstrikes were reported in Khan Younis and Nuseirat. In Jabalia, journalist Hassan Majdi Abu Warda and multiple members of his family were killed when their home was hit. The Gaza media office said his death brings the total number of journalists killed since October 2023 to 220.
Another strike in Nuseirat claimed the lives of Ashraf Abu Nar, a senior official with Gaza’s civil emergency services, and his wife, according to medical sources.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) confirmed that two of its staff members — Ibrahim Eid and Ahmad Abu Hilal — were killed in a separate airstrike on Saturday. “Their killing points to the intolerable civilian death toll in Gaza,” the ICRC said, reiterating calls for a ceasefire and the protection of aid workers and civilians.
Israel Defends Military Campaign
Israel’s military chief of staff, Eyal Zamir, visited troops in Khan Younis on Sunday, stating, “This is not an endless war.” He emphasized efforts to dismantle Hamas and secure the return of hostages held in Gaza.
Despite ongoing ground and air operations, the Israeli military did not directly address the strike on the Fahmi al-Jarjawi school in its public communications.
Israel launched its military campaign in Gaza following Hamas’s October 7, 2023 cross-border assault, which resulted in the deaths of around 1,200 Israelis and the abduction of 251 hostages, according to Israeli figures. Since then, more than 53,900 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza health authorities.
Tensions in Jerusalem Amid ‘Jerusalem Day’ March
Meanwhile, in East Jerusalem, hundreds of Israeli settlers stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound under tight security to mark “Jerusalem Day,” an annual event commemorating Israel’s 1967 occupation of East Jerusalem during the Six-Day War.
Protected by thousands of Israeli police officers, settlers marched through the Muslim Quarter of the Old City, chanting nationalist slogans and performing religious rituals. The move sparked heightened tensions, with reports of harassment against Palestinian civilians and shopkeepers.
The Al-Aqsa compound, revered by Muslims and Jews alike, is administered by Jordan but remains under Israeli control. Its repeated storming by settlers has drawn widespread condemnation from Muslim-majority countries and human rights organizations, who warn of its potential to escalate regional tensions.
Control Over Gaza Expands
The Gaza media office said on Sunday that Israeli forces now effectively control 77% of the territory through ground occupation, targeted bombardments, and enforced evacuation zones.
Despite Israeli claims of degrading Hamas’s infrastructure, both Hamas and the Islamic Jihad’s military wings reported carrying out multiple attacks against Israeli troops using explosive devices and anti-tank weapons.
Humanitarian Crisis Worsens
Aid organizations continue to warn of a deepening humanitarian catastrophe, with widespread malnutrition and displacement. Access to clean water, food, and medical care remains severely limited as hostilities continue across much of the Gaza Strip.
The international community has called repeatedly for an immediate ceasefire and the protection of civilians, but diplomatic efforts have yet to produce a lasting resolution.
