Rescuers in Gaza reported that an Israeli air strike on the Al-Tabieen religious school and mosque in Gaza City killed 93 people on Saturday, including 11 children and six women. The strike, which targeted a school sheltering displaced Palestinians, has drawn widespread international condemnation, despite Israeli military claims that the attack was aimed at militants.
Civil defense officials in Gaza said that three Israeli missiles struck the complex during dawn prayers.Mahmud Bassal, a spokesman for the civil defense agency, confirmed the casualties, adding that “there are many unidentified body parts” among the victims.
The Israeli military was quoted by AFP as saying that the strike targeted “at least 19 Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists” and that the attack was carried out with “three precise munitions.” However, the death toll, which could not be independently verified, has led to outrage across the Middle East and beyond. The bombardment has been denounced by Hamas as a “dangerous escalation,” while Hezbollah described it as a “horrific massacre.”
Iran, a known supporter of Hamas and Hezbollah, condemned the attack, calling it “barbaric.” A local resident, Abu Wassim, expressed despair over the incident, saying, “Those who were inside the mosque were all killed… even the floor above, where women and children were sleeping, was completely burned.”
The strike comes amid a 10-month conflict between Israel and Palestinian militants, following Hamas’s October 7 attack, which left 1,198 people dead and resulted in the capture of 251 hostages. Israel’s retaliatory military campaign in Gaza has claimed at least 39,790 lives, according to Gaza’s health ministry.
International mediators, including the United States, Egypt, and Qatar, have called for an immediate ceasefire and invited both sides to resume negotiations aimed at securing a truce and hostage-release deal. However, the timing of the air strike has been seen by some, including Jordan’s foreign ministry, as an attempt by Israel to “obstruct and thwart” the mediation efforts.
The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, expressed horror at the attack, and France has urged Israel to respect international humanitarian law. Meanwhile, protests in Israel have called for the government to prioritize the release of hostages over continued military actions.
As the conflict continues to draw in Iran-aligned groups across the region, fears of a broader war are escalating. Hezbollah claimed to have launched “squadrons of explosive-laden drones” at an Israeli army base in retaliation for the killing of a Hamas commander in Lebanon. Iran has asserted its right to self-defense but indicated a preference for a measured response to avoid derailing potential ceasefire negotiations.
Civil defense officials in Gaza said that three Israeli missiles struck the complex during dawn prayers.Mahmud Bassal, a spokesman for the civil defense agency, confirmed the casualties, adding that “there are many unidentified body parts” among the victims.
The Israeli military was quoted by AFP as saying that the strike targeted “at least 19 Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists” and that the attack was carried out with “three precise munitions.” However, the death toll, which could not be independently verified, has led to outrage across the Middle East and beyond. The bombardment has been denounced by Hamas as a “dangerous escalation,” while Hezbollah described it as a “horrific massacre.”
Iran, a known supporter of Hamas and Hezbollah, condemned the attack, calling it “barbaric.” A local resident, Abu Wassim, expressed despair over the incident, saying, “Those who were inside the mosque were all killed… even the floor above, where women and children were sleeping, was completely burned.”
The strike comes amid a 10-month conflict between Israel and Palestinian militants, following Hamas’s October 7 attack, which left 1,198 people dead and resulted in the capture of 251 hostages. Israel’s retaliatory military campaign in Gaza has claimed at least 39,790 lives, according to Gaza’s health ministry.
International mediators, including the United States, Egypt, and Qatar, have called for an immediate ceasefire and invited both sides to resume negotiations aimed at securing a truce and hostage-release deal. However, the timing of the air strike has been seen by some, including Jordan’s foreign ministry, as an attempt by Israel to “obstruct and thwart” the mediation efforts.
The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, expressed horror at the attack, and France has urged Israel to respect international humanitarian law. Meanwhile, protests in Israel have called for the government to prioritize the release of hostages over continued military actions.
As the conflict continues to draw in Iran-aligned groups across the region, fears of a broader war are escalating. Hezbollah claimed to have launched “squadrons of explosive-laden drones” at an Israeli army base in retaliation for the killing of a Hamas commander in Lebanon. Iran has asserted its right to self-defense but indicated a preference for a measured response to avoid derailing potential ceasefire negotiations.
