At least eight people, including children, were killed in an Israeli airstrike on the Halimah al-Saadiyah School in Jabalia an-Nazla, northern Gaza, where displaced Palestinians sought shelter.
The attack struck late at night, turning a place of refuge into a scene of carnage.
Al Jazeera’s Ibrahim al-Khalili described the aftermath as “unprecedented,” with the smell of blood pervasive as survivors navigated the rubble.
The school housed around 1,000 displaced people, forced from their homes by Israel’s forced displacement orders, only to face death in a supposed safe haven.
Survivors reported an inferno of panic and terror following the strike, with classrooms and tents sheltering families reduced to debris.
The systematic targeting of Gaza’s healthcare system and civilian infrastructure has left al-Shifa Hospital overwhelmed, struggling to treat the injured.
This attack underscores Israel’s blatant disregard for international law, as safe spaces for Gaza’s displaced vanish under relentless bombardment.
The assault on the school is part of a broader escalation, with Israel’s military actions worsening the catastrophic conditions in the besieged Strip.
Beyond the school massacre, Israel’s attacks on aid distribution points further exacerbate Gaza’s humanitarian crisis.
At least 10 Palestinians were killed and 16 wounded near the GHF-run aid center in Rafah, shot by Israeli snipers as they sought food.
The UN has recorded 798 killings at or near aid sites, highlighting Israel’s strategy to harm those seeking survival.
Gaza, described as a “graveyard of children and starving people” by UNRWA’s Philippe Lazzarini, faces a dire reality with no safe refuge.
Israel’s impunity in targeting civilians and aid seekers demands urgent international action to halt the genocide and address the chaos engulfing the Strip.