Gaza's civil defense agency reported Thursday that Israeli military operations killed at least 25 people, including 12 in a strike on a school sheltering displaced families in Gaza City. The attack on Mustafa Hafez School in Al-Rimal neighborhood left mostly children and women among the dead, according to civil defense official Mohammad al-Mughayyir.
Footage from the scene showed young children navigating through smoldering debris and shattered furniture as residents searched for belongings. The strike occurred amid Israel's expanded operations in Gaza, where 57,012 people have died since October 2023, per figures from the Hamas-run health ministry deemed reliable by the UN.
In central Gaza, six people were reportedly killed by Israeli gunfire near an aid distribution site – the latest in a series of deadly incidents involving civilians seeking humanitarian supplies. Artillery shelling in Beit Lahia and Jabalia claimed four additional lives, while three died in a strike on tents in Al-Mawasi, an area Israel designated as a safe zone in December 2023.
The Israeli military told AFP it was investigating the incidents while reaffirming its commitment to "dismantle Hamas military capabilities" and follow international law. The conflict, now in its 22nd month, has displaced nearly all of Gaza's 2 million residents, with many sheltering in schools and temporary camps.
International efforts continue to broker a ceasefire, with US President Donald Trump stating Israel supports a proposed 60-day truce. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated his commitment to eradicate Hamas following the group's October 2023 attack that killed 1,219 people in Israel, according to official figures.
