22 killed in Israeli airstrikes on shelters in Gaza
September 21, 20242 Mins Read
International Desk: At least 22 Palestinians were killed in an Israeli air strike on a school in Gaza City. Most of them are women and children. Gaza's Hamas-run Health Ministry reported this information.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said a Hamas command center at al-Fallah school was targeted.
From this center, they claim, Hamas was planning and conducting terrorist attacks against Israeli forces.
Gaza's health ministry said the school, which was closed during the war, was being used for homeless people.
The Israeli Defense Forces said they used precision weapons and aerial surveillance to minimize the risk of civilian casualties. But it blamed Hamas for using civilian installations.
However, Hamas denied the allegations, saying they are not using schools and other civilian facilities for military purposes.
Gaza's Hamas-run state media office said 13 children were among those killed in Saturday's attack in the al-Zaytoun area. Among them is a three-month-old baby. Apart from this, six women have been killed.
Gaza's Civil Defense Agency confirmed the same death toll, adding that a pregnant woman was among the dead.
On Saturday, Israel launched an attack targeting a Health Ministry warehouse in Musabah area of southern Gaza. According to the Ministry of Health of Gaza, four employees of the ministry were killed and six others were injured. However, they did not specify whether this incident was an airstrike or not.
Israeli airstrikes have also hit several schools since Israel's conflict with Hamas began.
Earlier this month, the United Nations' Palestinian refugee agency said six of its staff were killed in an Israeli airstrike at al-Zauni school in Nuseirat refugee camp. The school was being used as a shelter for thousands of displaced Palestinians.
According to the agency, Israel has attacked five schools since October 7.
The Israeli military said they specifically targeted terrorists. They were planning the attack from the school. The army claimed that nine of the dead were members of Hamas's armed wing and three were refugee agency workers.
On October 7 last year, Hamas gunmen attacked Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. In response, Israel also launched a military operation in Gaza. According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, more than 41,000 people have been killed in the operation so far.
Source: BBC
