Kim Li
The violence in Gaza has tragically intensified overnight, with at least 54 Palestinians killed in two separate Israeli airstrikes, including a devastating attack on a school sheltering displaced families in Gaza City. The brutality of the strikes underscores the increasing human toll as the conflict continues to escalate.
At Least 54 Palestinians Killed in Overnight Israeli Airstrikes
The first strike hit Fahmi Al-Jargawi School, located in central Gaza City, which had been converted into a shelter for hundreds of displaced people fleeing the town of Beit Lahia. The town is currently under severe Israeli military assault. The school had become a refuge for families seeking safety from the conflict, but the airstrike turned it into a scene of horror.
According to a spokesperson for Gaza’s Hamas-run Civil Defence, 20 bodies were recovered from the school, many of them children. The victims were severely burned after fires engulfed two classrooms that were being used as living quarters. The sheer devastation was palpable, with charred bodies and survivors suffering critical injuries.
A local resident, Rami Rafiq, described the scene in a phone call to the BBC: “Flames were everywhere. I saw charred bodies lying on the ground. My son fainted when he saw the horrific scene.” Graphic video footage shared online showed parts of the school engulfed in flames and victims badly burned, highlighting the human cost of the ongoing hostilities.
The Israeli military, or IDF, stated that the strike targeted “a Hamas and Islamic Jihad command and control centre” allegedly located within the area. They accused Hamas of using the civilian population as human shields and claimed the site was used to plan attacks against Israeli civilians and soldiers.
Among the casualties was Mohammad Al-Kasih, head of investigations for the Hamas police in northern Gaza, his wife, and children. This further exemplifies how the war is taking a toll on families and officials alike.
In a separate but equally tragic strike, a house in Jabalia, northern Gaza, was hit, killing 19 people, according to Dr. Fadel el-Naim, director of al-Ahli hospital. The Israeli military has yet to comment on this particular strike, and the details surrounding the target remain unclear.
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These twin airstrikes are part of a wider Israeli offensive that has ramped up in northern Gaza over the past week. The IDF reported having hit 200 targets across Gaza within 48 hours as part of ongoing operations against what they describe as “terrorist organizations.”
The humanitarian crisis deepened further with the recent death of nine children from a single Palestinian family. An Israeli strike on the home of Dr. Alaa al-Najjar in Gaza killed nine of her ten children, aged between just a few months and 12 years old. Her 11-year-old son was injured, and her husband, Hamdi al-Najjar, remains in critical condition. The Israeli military said this incident is under review, but it adds a heartbreaking dimension to the conflict’s civilian toll.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) also reported the deaths of two of its staff members in a strike on their home in Khan Younis. Ibrahim Eid, a weapon contamination officer, and Ahmad Abu Hilal, a security guard at the Red Cross Field Hospital in Rafah, lost their lives. The ICRC called this an “intolerable civilian death toll” and repeated its urgent calls for a ceasefire.
Meanwhile, on the humanitarian front, there is tension within aid organizations attempting to assist Gaza’s suffering population. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which had received approval from the US and Israel to deliver aid via private firms, saw the resignation of its executive director, Jake Wood. Wood cited concerns over maintaining humanitarian independence and neutrality, while the organization announced plans to start direct aid deliveries to reach over one million Palestinians soon.
Since March 2, Israel imposed a total blockade on Gaza, which lasted 11 weeks before allowing limited aid to trickle in, in response to warnings of famine and international pressure. Israeli military body Cogat said that 388 trucks carrying aid had entered Gaza since Monday, though the UN estimates that between 500 to 600 trucks daily are needed to meet the needs of the population.
On the diplomatic front, 20 countries and organizations convened in Madrid to discuss potential paths to end the war. Spain’s Foreign Minister, Jose Manuel Albares, even called for an arms embargo on Israel if the attacks continue.
The conflict was reignited after Hamas’s surprise cross-border attack on October 7, 2023, which resulted in approximately 1,200 Israeli deaths and 251 hostages taken. Since then, Gaza has borne the brunt of Israel’s military campaign, with the health ministry reporting at least 53,939 deaths, including over 16,500 children.
This staggering loss of life and ongoing destruction highlight the urgent need for a ceasefire and renewed international efforts to alleviate the humanitarian crisis and work towards a lasting peace.
