10 dead after Israeli airstrike hits Gaza school shelter for displaced families

An Israeli airstrike on Wednesday hit the Yaffa School in Gaza City, which was sheltering displaced families and resulted in the deaths of 10 people. The Israeli military stated the strike targeted militants from Palestinian militant group Hamas and Islamic Jihad operating inside the facility, and said efforts were made to minimize civilian harm.

Eyewitnesses described a devastating scene, with Um Mohammed al-Hwaiti recounting how people ran through flames, rescuing charred victims. “We were sleeping and suddenly something exploded, we started looking and found the whole school on fire, the tents here and there were on fire, everything was on fire,” Haiti was quoted as saying by Reuters.

Since a ceasefire collapsed on March 18, over 1,600 Palestinians—many of them civilians—have been killed in Israeli strikes, according to Gaza’s health authorities.

Israel has expanded a “buffer zone” inside Gaza and enforced a complete blockade on goods, including fuel and electricity, intensifying the humanitarian crisis.

Meanwhile, medics reported at least 36 more deaths across Gaza on Wednesday. A missile strike also damaged the intensive care unit and solar power system at Durra Children’s Hospital, though no fatalities were reported there.

International concern escalated as foreign ministers from Germany, France, and Britain called on Israel to follow international law, allow unhindered humanitarian aid, and restore a ceasefire. They emphasized that aid “must never be used as a political tool” and warned against altering Gaza’s demographics.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry rejected these claims, insisting there is “no shortage of aid,” despite reports from doctors and civilians indicating severe scarcities.

Hamas continues to hold 59 Israeli hostages from its October 7, 2023 attack that killed 1,200 people and triggered the war. Hamas demands an end to the war before releasing any more hostages.

On Wednesday, the Palestinian militant group released a video of hostage Omri Miran, 48, pleading for a deal—part of what Israeli officials describe as psychological warfare. Over 51,000 Palestinians have reportedly died in the conflict so far, according to Gaza health authorities.

(With inputs from Reuters)