Tragic Consequences of Israeli Airstrike on UN School in Gaza

Palestinian rescue workers have reported that at least 14 individuals lost their lives and dozens more were injured in an Israeli airstrike targeting a United Nations-run school in the Shati refugee camp, located to the west of Gaza City. This facility was serving as a shelter for those displaced by ongoing conflicts.

The Israeli military asserted that the school was being utilized by Hamas to orchestrate and carry out attacks against Israel. However, the military provided no further specifics regarding the incident. They maintained that measures were taken to minimize civilian casualties, including employing precise munitions, conducting aerial surveillance, and utilizing enhanced intelligence.

In recent weeks, Israel has executed numerous airstrikes on educational institutions throughout the Gaza Strip, where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, fleeing violence, sought safety. The United Nations reported in September that approximately 85% of schools in Gaza have sustained damage or been directly struck, with many requiring substantial reconstruction to be viable again. Additionally, the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) indicated that 70% of the schools it manages have been affected, and about 95% of these facilities are currently providing shelter for displaced individuals.

Following the strike on the Shati school, the Israeli army ordered the evacuation of the refugee camp and other neighborhoods west of Gaza City, causing widespread panic among Palestinians who had recently sought refuge in these areas from Israel’s intensified military operations against Hamas militants further to the north.

Israel’s Strained Relationship with UNRWA

Israel has long criticized UNRWA, accusing it of overlooking the presence of Hamas militants within its ranks and permitting the group to exploit its facilities for military endeavors. UNRWA has consistently denied these allegations. In a significant move in October, Israel’s parliament enacted legislation effectively prohibiting UNRWA’s operations within Israel and the Palestinian territories.

In response, multiple UN agencies have voiced their support for UNRWA, labeling it the “backbone” of the United Nations’ humanitarian efforts in Gaza and other Palestinian regions. UNRWA plays a crucial role in providing education, healthcare, and emergency assistance to millions of Palestinian refugees originating from the 1948 conflict surrounding the establishment of Israel, along with their descendants. Refugee families constitute the majority of Gaza’s population, estimated at around two million.

Humanitarian Aid to Gaza

In a related development, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) announced plans to permit 300 truckloads of humanitarian aid, supplied by the United Arab Emirates, to enter the Gaza Strip in the forthcoming days. This figure falls short of the 350 trucks daily that the United States has indicated should be allowed into the territory.

According to COGAT, the military body overseeing civilian affairs in Gaza, the humanitarian supplies were transported by sea and unloaded at the Israeli port of Ashdod, located just north of Gaza. The IDF stated that the shipment, which includes essential items such as food, water, medical supplies, shelter materials, and hygiene products, will undergo inspection prior to being transferred into Gaza, although no specific date was provided for this operation.

The volume of aid entering Gaza saw a significant decline in October as Israel intensified its military actions in the northern regions of the territory. By the end of October, an average of just 71 trucks per day were reported to be entering Gaza, according to the latest figures from the United Nations.

Furthermore, the United States has urged Israel to increase the flow of humanitarian aid by mid-November, warning that failure to comply could result in a decrease in military support from the U.S. government. Israel contends that it permits ample aid to enter Gaza and attributes the challenges in distribution to UN agencies and other humanitarian organizations. Conversely, these organizations argue that their efforts are severely hindered by Israeli restrictions, the ongoing conflict, and the disintegration of law and order within the region.