Rescuers in Gaza said an Israeli air strike on a school housing displaced Palestinians killed 93 people on Saturday, sparking international condemnation despite Israel’s insistence that it was targeting militants.
AFP could not independently verify the toll which, if confirmed, would be one of the largest from a single strike during 10 months of war between Israel and Palestinian militants since Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack last year.
The bombardment of al-Tabieen religious school and mosque drew criticism from across the Middle East and beyond, alongside calls for a ceasefire, after international mediators invited the warring sides to resume talks toward a long-sought truce and hostage-release deal.
Photo: AP
Gaza Civil defense rescuers in the Hamas-ruled territory said three Israeli missiles hit the complex in Gaza City while people were performing dawn prayers.
The Israeli military confirmed it had used “three precise munitions.”
Mahmud Bassal, spokesman for the Hamas-run defense agency said 11 children and six women were among the 93 who died at the school shelter, “and there are many unidentified body parts.”
“They dropped a missile on them while they were just praying,” said one woman, mourning over a dead child shrouded in a plastic body bag.
Israel’s military said it had “precisely struck” al-Tabieen, later adding that intelligence suggested “at least 19 Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists were eliminated.”
Hamas denounced it as a “dangerous escalation,” while the Palestinian group’s Lebanese ally Hezbollah called it a “horrific massacre.”
Iran, which backs both militant groups and had accused Israel of wanting to spread war in the Middle East following high-profile killings in Tehran and Beirut, condemned what it called a “barbaric attack.”
“Those who were inside the mosque were all killed,” said local resident Abu Wassim. “Even the floor above, where women and children were sleeping, was completely burned.”
With nearly all of the Gaza Strip’s 2.4 million people displaced at least once during the war, many have sought refuge in school buildings, which have been hit at least 14 times since July 6, according to an AFP tally.
Israel has made similar accusations of armed activities after strikes on school shelters, while Hamas has denied using civilian facilities for military aims.
US National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett said Hamas has been operating out of schools, “but we have also said repeatedly and consistently that Israel must take measures to minimize civilian harm.”
The Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the timing was an indication of Israel’s efforts to “obstruct and thwart” the latest mediation effort.
One of the mediators, Qatar, called for an “urgent international investigation”, while Turkey claimed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wanted “to sabotage ceasefire negotiations.”
Netanyahu’s office on Thursday said Israel would send negotiators “to conclude the details of implementing a deal,” after the joint invitation from the US, Egypt and Qatar.
Hamas has yet to formally respond.
Tropical Storm Usagi strengthened to a typhoon yesterday morning and remains on track to brush past southeastern Taiwan from tomorrow to Sunday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. As of 2pm yesterday, the storm was approximately 950km east-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan proper’s southernmost point, the CWA said. It is expected to enter the Bashi Channel and then turn north, moving into waters southeast of Taiwan, it said. The agency said it could issue a sea warning in the early hours of today and a land warning in the afternoon. As of 2pm yesterday, the storm was moving at
UPDATED FORECAST: The warning covered areas of Pingtung County and Hengchun Peninsula, while a sea warning covering the southern Taiwan Strait was amended The Central Weather Administration (CWA) at 5:30pm yesterday issued a land warning for Typhoon Usagi as the storm approached Taiwan from the south after passing over the Philippines. As of 5pm, Usagi was 420km south-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan proper’s southernmost tip, with an average radius of 150km, the CWA said. The land warning covered areas of Pingtung County and the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春), and came with an amended sea warning, updating a warning issued yesterday morning to cover the southern part of the Taiwan Strait. No local governments had announced any class or office closures as of press time last night. The typhoon
DISCONTENT: The CCP finds positive content about the lives of the Chinese living in Taiwan threatening, as such video could upset people in China, an expert said Chinese spouses of Taiwanese who make videos about their lives in Taiwan have been facing online threats from people in China, a source said yesterday. Some young Chinese spouses of Taiwanese make videos about their lives in Taiwan, often speaking favorably about their living conditions in the nation compared with those in China, the source said. However, the videos have caught the attention of Chinese officials, causing the spouses to come under attack by Beijing’s cyberarmy, they said. “People have been messing with the YouTube channels of these Chinese spouses and have been harassing their family members back in China,”
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday said there are four weather systems in the western Pacific, with one likely to strengthen into a tropical storm and pose a threat to Taiwan. The nascent tropical storm would be named Usagi and would be the fourth storm in the western Pacific at the moment, along with Typhoon Yinxing and tropical storms Toraji and Manyi, the CWA said. It would be the first time that four tropical cyclones exist simultaneously in November, it added. Records from the meteorology agency showed that three tropical cyclones existed concurrently in January in 1968, 1991 and 1992.
RSS