Nearly 100 Killed in Israeli Strike on Gaza School-Turned-Shelter

Author: Dian Kencana
August 11, 2024

People check the damage inside a school used as a temporary shelter for displaced Palestinians in Gaza City, following an Israeli attack. (AFP/ Omar al-Qattaa)

SEAToday.com, Gaza - An Israeli strike on a school building sheltering displaced Palestinians in the Gaza Strip has killed nearly 100 people and wounded dozens, according to officials in the enclave.

Three Israeli bombs hit the al-Taba'een school in the Daraj district, Gaza's Civil Defense said of Saturday's (8/11) attack, which it described as a "horrific massacre". The school housed more than 1,000 people and also served as a mosque.

Women, children and the elderly are reported to be among the dead and the toll was expected to rise. The attack took place while people were performing morning prayers and triggered a fire that ripped through the building.

The head of the Gaza government's media office, Ismail al-Thawabta, said the Israeli army used three bombs weighing 2,000 pounds (907 kg) each in its attack.

The attack was the fourth such incident in a week, with the air force claiming to have hit a "command and control center" that "served as a hideout for Hamas terrorists and commanders". Hamas has denied Israeli accusations that it operates from civilian facilities such as schools and hospitals.

Gaza’s Ministry of Health said on Saturday (8/10) that at least 39,790 people have been killed and 92,002 wounded in this enclave since October 7, 2023.