In northern Gaza, a school used as a shelter was attacked by Israeli airstrikes, leading to the killing of not less than seven people, as stated by the Palestinian Civil Defence spokesperson. Another resident, Mahmud Bassal, identified the Kafr Qasim School in the Shati refugee camp west of Gaza City as the place where hundreds of displaced people have been staying.
The airstrike also affected several people very badly, as some of them were taken to the hospital in very serious conditions of injury among the injured. This comes only a day after an airstrike in north Gazy city killed 22 people, with 13 of them being children and 6 women, after hitting a school that was hosting displaced families.
The Israeli military further stated that the strike targeted Hamas fighters, who they said were observed at the location, although little or no evidence was provided to support this claim. The military boasted its efforts of downplaying the number of civilians killed by using killer weapons and intelligence but failed to reveal details of the fatalities.
In previous years, Israel has been accused of targeting schools and other non-military structures, arguing that they host Hamas without substantiation. Critics of the actions argue that such a move violates the laws of armed conflict and claims that Israel disregards the difference between combatants and non-combatants. The International Criminal Court (ICC) has demanded warrants for the arrest of Israeli officials, including Benjamin Netanyahu, for war crimes.
Palestinian Red Crescent Society said that apart from the school attack, seven other Palestinians were killed in other raids in different parts of Gaza. Survivor conditions are wet and terrible, especially after the rain, where even the makeshift structures they find are flooded. Refugees are not interested in mere ‘solutions’ that would merely prolong their suffering, but they desire the conflict to be brought to an end.
Gaza’s Health Ministry said that health facilities were in danger of losing funds due to shortages of fuel and supplies would be at risk to the patients’ lives. The five-year-old agency for Palestinians at the United Nations for Palestinian refugees has urged its donors for more funds and, blankets, food as winter draws near and conditions of the displaced become harsher.
