An Israeli bombardment on a central Gaza school used as a shelter for displaced Palestinians killed 14 people, according to the Hamas-run territory's civil defense service, with the UN stating that six of its workers were killed.
Unrwa, the UN Palestinian refugee agency, reported that the attack resulted in the highest death toll among its staff in a single occurrence. Two airstrikes struck the school and its surroundings in Nuseirat, according to reports.
"Among those killed was the manager of the Unrwa shelter and other team members providing assistance to displaced people," the United Nations said in a statement.
The devastating attack on the school has sparked international outrage and renewed calls for an immediate ceasefire. Humanitarian organizations have condemned the targeting of civilian infrastructure, emphasizing the urgent need for protection of innocent lives caught in the crossfire. The incident has also raised questions about the effectiveness of existing measures to safeguard UN facilities and personnel operating in conflict zones.
Earlier, Israel's military said its air force had "conducted a precise strike on terrorists who were operating inside a Hamas command-and-control centre" on the school premises, but did not elaborate on the outcome or who was targeted.
According to the Hamas government media office, over 5,000 displaced individuals were refuge at the school when it was hit on Wednesday. According to Unrwa, the school has been hit five times since the war began. It is home to approximately 12,000 displaced persons, primarily women and children.
The repeated attacks on this particular school highlight the ongoing challenges faced by humanitarian organizations in providing safe havens for civilians during armed conflicts. Experts argue that the frequency of such incidents underscores the need for enhanced international mechanisms to ensure the protection of designated shelters and the enforcement of international humanitarian law.
Israeli forces have bombed many such schools in recent months, claiming that Palestinian militants were operating inside and hiding among displaced people, something Hamas denies. At least 18 people were injured in Wednesday's strike on the al-Jaouni school in Nuseirat refugee camp, according to local health officials.
An IDF spokeswoman stated that prior to the operation, "a series of measures were taken to reduce the likelihood of civilian casualties, including the use of precision weapons, aerial imagery, and additional intelligence."
Despite these claims, the high civilian casualty rate continues to raise concerns about the effectiveness of such measures. Military analysts and human rights observers have called for greater transparency in the targeting process and independent investigations into incidents resulting in significant civilian casualties. The ongoing debate surrounding the proportionality of military actions in densely populated areas remains a contentious issue in international forums.
Late on Wednesday, UN Secretary-General António Guterres stated that "what's happening in Gaza is totally unacceptable." "Six of our @UNRWA colleagues are among those killed," Guterres wrote on X.
The Israeli military claims it takes precautions to decrease the risk of harm to civilians, and that militants account for at least one-third of Palestinian deaths in Gaza. It accuses Hamas of employing Palestinian people as human shields, a claim Hamas disputes.
Earlier on Wednesday, a strike hit a home near the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis, killing 11 people, including six brothers and sisters aged 21 months to 21 years, according to the European hospital that treated the victims.
The Gaza conflict is already in its 11th month, with over 41,000 Palestinians killed, according to the territory's health ministry, while international efforts to mediate a ceasefire between Israel and the Hamas militant group have repeatedly stalled. The battle began on October 7, when Hamas attacked Israel, killing 1,200 people and kidnapping approximately 250 captives.
The prolonged nature of the conflict has led to a deteriorating humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with severe shortages of food, water, and medical supplies. International aid organizations have warned of the long-term consequences of the ongoing violence on the physical and mental health of the population, particularly children. The situation has also strained regional diplomatic relations and sparked debates about the prospects for a lasting peace in the Middle East.
On Wednesday, Hamas said its negotiators had restated their readiness to implement a "immediate" truce with Israel in Gaza based on a previous US agreement, with no additional requirements from either party.
The organization stated in a statement that their negotiation team, led by senior official Khalil al-Hayya, met with mediators in Doha to discuss the recent developments in Gaza.
CIA Director William Burns, who is also the US's senior negotiator in Gaza, said on Saturday that a more specific cease-fire proposal would be made in the coming days. The last plan made by President Joe Biden in June called for a three-phase ceasefire in exchange for the release of Israeli hostages. However, unresolved concerns, like as control of the Philadelphi corridor, a tiny strip of territory on Gaza's border with Egypt, persist.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has resisted domestic protests and Biden's condemnation by promising that Israel will not lose control of the critical route. A strike on a residence in the urban Jabaliya refugee camp in northern Gaza killed nine persons, including six women and children, according to the Health Ministry and civil defense.
Meanwhile, Israel's military claimed that two soldiers were killed late Tuesday when an army helicopter crashed near Gaza's southern city of Rafah. The military stated on Wednesday that the chopper crashed while landing, injuring another eight soldiers.
Maj Gen Tomer Bar stated in a statement that the aircraft crashed while on a "life-saving operation" to transfer an injured soldier. "An investigative committee has been appointed to investigate the details of the crash," he stated. He referred to it as a "operational accident" .
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