An Israeli airstrike targeted a school housing displaced people in Gaza City this afternoon, resulting in multiple casualties among the families sheltering there.

Local sources reported that at least 17 civilians, including children, were killed in the attack on Hamama School in the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood in western Gaza City. Over 60 others sustained various injuries.

The initial strike targeted the school, and three additional missiles struck while emergency and civil defense teams were attempting to evacuate the victims. A medical source at Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza confirmed that several of the deceased and injured were children, and significant damage was caused to the already overcrowded classrooms.

This incident is part of a disturbing pattern of Israeli attacks on schools sheltering displaced families. Previous strikes have caused significant loss of life. Last Thursday, an airstrike on a school-turned-shelter in the Shujaiya neighborhood killed 15 people.

The ongoing Israeli genocide in Gaza, which has persisted for over 302 days, has led to severe humanitarian conditions. Displaced individuals are forced to seek refuge with relatives, in makeshift tents, or in public spaces under dire conditions lacking basic necessities like water and food. Approximately 2 million people in Gaza have been displaced since the conflict began on October 7, 2023.

The genocide has so far resulted in 39,550 documented Palestinian fatalities, with an additional 91,280 injured. Thousands of victims are also estimated to be buried under rubble. (ILKHA)