The tragic incident occurred on Saturday when the Al-Tabieen religious school in Gaza City, a place ruled by Hamas, was bombed by the Israeli military. At the time of the attack, displaced Palestinians were gathered inside the school for dawn prayers. This attack left numerous casualties and raised concerns regarding the nature of the strike and its aftermath.
Casualties and Aftermath
According to Gaza’s civil defence rescuers, the strike on the school led to the deaths of 93 people. Of these, 75 individuals have been identified, while others remain unidentified due to the extent of the damage inflicted on the bodies. Mahmud Bassal, a spokesperson for the Gaza civil defence agency, confirmed the toll, emphasizing the difficulty in identifying some victims, as many bodies were torn apart and severely charred.
Among the dead were 11 children and six women, highlighting the devastating impact of the strike on families sheltering in the school. Amjad Aliwa, an emergency doctor from Al-Ahli hospital in Gaza City, further verified the identification of the 75 known victims. However, he noted that several bodies are still beyond recognition, with families of some victims having fled to the south of the Gaza Strip and unable to identify their loved ones.
Israeli Military’s Justification
The Israeli military provided an explanation for the strike, claiming that the school compound was targeted due to intelligence suggesting that Hamas militants were using it as a base for operations. The militants were allegedly planning attacks on Israel and its security forces from within the compound.
In response, the Israeli military carried out the attack using three precision-guided munitions, aiming to minimize damage to the surrounding area. Following the raid, the military released the names and pictures of 31 individuals it claimed were militants killed in the attack. Initially, it had reported that 19 militants were killed, but the figure was later revised.
Unverified Information
It is important to note that AFP, the news agency reporting on the incident, was unable to independently verify the exact death toll or confirm whether all those killed were indeed militants. The Israeli military’s account of the raid suggests that the Al-Tabieen school was being used as a Hamas command and control center, though this claim remains unconfirmed by outside sources.
Context of the War in Gaza
This tragic event is part of the larger ongoing conflict in Gaza, which escalated after Hamas launched an attack on Israel on October 7. According to official Israeli data, the attack resulted in the deaths of 1,198 people, most of whom were civilians. In addition to these casualties, militants seized 251 individuals, of which 111 are still being held captive in Gaza. Of these captives, the Israeli military claims that 39 are dead.
In retaliation for the attack by Hamas, Israel has launched a military offensive against the group in Gaza School. As a result of this ongoing conflict, the health ministry in Gaza, which is run by Hamas, reports that at least 39,897 people have been killed so far. However, the details regarding whether these deaths were civilians or militants have not been provided.
The Broader Impact
The strike on the Al-Tabieen religious Gaza school serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing violence and suffering in Gaza School. Civilians, including women and children, continue to bear the brunt of the conflict, with displacement and destruction taking a heavy toll on the region’s population. The difficulty in identifying victims further complicates the grief of families, many of whom are unable to recover or recognize their loved ones.
This tragic event, along with the larger context of the war, highlights the human cost of the conflict. Both sides have suffered significant losses, and the cycle of violence continues with no clear end in sight. The attack on the Al-Tabieen school is just one example of the many instances of devastation occurring in Gaza, where civilian lives are lost amid the ongoing battle between Israel and Hamas.
Conclusion
The bombing of the Al-Tabieen Gaza School is a grim chapter in the Gaza conflict, reflecting the broader violence and humanitarian crisis that has unfolded in the region. The loss of civilian lives, including women and children, underscores the need for a resolution to the ongoing conflict, as innocent people continue to pay the price for the violence. With families grieving and many victims yet to be identified, the war in Gaza remains a tragedy that deeply affects both Israelis and Palestinians alike.
