Israel struck a school in central Gaza on Saturday, and the Hamas-run health ministry reported that the attack injured 100 and killed at least 30 Palestinians. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated on Telegram that the school was being used as a Hamas command and control center along with a cache of weapons. The IDF emphasized that multiple measures were taken to mitigate civilian casualties, including the use of specific munitions, aerial surveillance, and additional intelligence.
Footage of the aftermath, verified by multiple major news outlets, shows that children were among the victims. Hamas disputes the IDF’s claims, accusing Israel of targeting civilians and displacing women and children. The attack on the Deir al-Balah school marks a significant moment in the broader military campaign in Khan Younis aimed at dismantling Hamas leadership in southern Gaza. Since the campaign began, the Gaza Civil Defense Service reports that 170 people have been killed, and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) notes that over 190,000 Palestinians have been displaced.
The IDF has meanwhile ordered civilians to relocate to an “adjusted humanitarian area” in al-Mawasi. The IDF’s conduct throughout the Israel-Hamas conflict has been criticized for allegedly lacking proportionality and military necessity, with a UN report accusing both sides of potential war crimes. Additionally, South Africa has taken the extraordinary step of filing a genocide case against Israel in the International Court of Justice (ICJ), an action that remains ongoing.
The intentional attack on hospitals and organizations engaged in humanitarian assistance is classified as a war crime under Article 8 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, and such acts are also illegal under international law. However, there is an exception under the Rome Statute permitting attacks on hospitals under certain conditions, if they serve dual purposes contributing to military action and such attacks offer a definite military advantage. This exception does not extend to humanitarian personnel and institutions.